Local Labour MSP Colin Smyth has welcomed the agreement reached between Dumfries and Galloway Council and National Museums Scotland (NMS) which will see the Galloway Hoard on display at the new Kirkcudbright Galleries.

The agreement reached between the Council and National Museums Scotland (NMS) will see the whole Hoard on display in Kirkcudbright between December 2020 and August 2021 and again at a future date when the Scottish Galleries at the National Museum of Scotland are redeveloped. In between times a significant and representative portion of the Hoard will be on display at Kirkcudbright with the remainder of the Hoard being displayed at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Colin Smyth has previously raised the Hoard with the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs in the Scottish Parliament to ensure that the Hoard is on display at Kirkcudbright close to where it was discovered.

Colin Smyth MSP said, “Having pressed the Government and National Museums Scotland to reach agreement with the Council, I am pleased this has now been achieved. It is hugely frustrating that it has taken this long for NMS to agree to the display in Kirkcudbright but at least a way forward has now been found. However, the whole Hoard will not be on display at Kirkcudbright permanently so it is vital that when it is only part of the hoard on display, it is substantial and significant enough to ensure it is worthwhile attraction for visitors to the gallery”