Dick Institute, Art museum and public library in Kilmarnock, Scotland
The Dick Institute is an art museum and public library in Kilmarnock, Scotland, housed in a large Victorian sandstone building from 1901. The spaces feature gallery areas, exhibition spaces, and a central library all within the same structure.
The institute was funded by James Dick, a Scottish expatriate living in Australia, around 1900. A major fire in 1908 damaged the building significantly, and it later served as a military hospital during World War I.
The main gallery hosts rotating exhibitions featuring works from notable contemporary artists and institutions. These changing shows give the place its role as a center for viewing modern art.
The institute is open Tuesday through Saturday, with extended evening hours on Thursdays and free admission to all galleries and library services. The large staircase and wide corridors make it easy to move around the spaces.
The museum displays a replica of John Wilson's printing press, which produced the first edition of Robert Burns' poems. Alongside rotating original manuscripts, this offers a rare glimpse into Scotland's literary heritage.
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