For the last 18 months or so, we have been working on a project to look at our retail offer and how it can be more sustainable. This has resulted in a number of exciting outcomes, including the redeveloped shop space and a number of new stock ranges. This blog looks at one of those ranges in more detail.
The museum collection is fully of beautiful objects that were gifted to Andrew Carnegie as acknowledgement of his generosity of money and effort toward several causes. These range from fine caskets made of precious medals to a walking stick made from the coffin of an accused “witch”. These objects often tell the story of the gift its self, or of the culture from which it came. They are a fascinating insight into the impact Andrew Carnegie had around the world.
One such item is a Chinese, hand painted silk scroll that was gifted to Andrew Carnegie and his wife Louise in 1912 by the International Institute of China in acknowledgement of their efforts in pursuit of peace. The painting depicts a peace dove, clutching a Scottish thistle, crossing the Pacific Ocean between the USA and China. On one side, the American Eagle watches the dove's progress while holding the flags of the USA and United Kingdom in its claws. On the other side, a Chinese dragon awaits the dove's arrival, while the star of Jerusalem shines its light in the background.
There are some items in the collection that are unlikely to be on display because of their fragility. This scroll is one of them – it is currently in amazing condition but is extremely susceptible to light damage, and the silk can easily be damaged by the weight of hanging it. We are always looking for new ways to engage our visitors with objects that we cannot display beyond reproducing them digitally.
In early 2022 we chose this scroll as a potential source of inspiration for a new range of products for our museum shop. We were lucky enough to receive some funding towards an artist commission, and after a great response to our call out we chose Haddington based artist Helen Wyllie to work with. Helen has an incredible portfolio of collaborations with creative organisations as well as her own range of products featuring her artwork. Helen visited the museum when it was closed and was able to get up close to the scroll for inspiration.
Some examples of Helen Wyllie’s artwork inspired by the scroll
Over the next few months Helen produced a range of artwork inspired by elements of the painting which could be applied across a range of exclusive products for the shop, as well as signage, interpretation, and packaging. Together these elements create a coherent range that tells the story of the source painting. The first products on the shelves were the dove and eagle pin badges, which have proven immensely popular with our visitors. Slowly the range has grown to include enamel mugs, notepads, stickers, tea towels and limited-edition artist prints. Helen’s illustrations really capture the vibrancy and movement of the painting, while bringing her own contemporary twist to the designs.
A selection of item from the new product range. Pictured: enamel mugs, eagle and dove pin badges, notepad, and limited edition artist print.
Display in the museum shop showcasing the new products
The museum shop is open 11-4 daily.
