The Scottish Maritime Museum on Irvine Harbourside is turning the vast, glass-roofed Linthouse red in support of the Scottish Poppy Appeal once again.
The exterior of the A Listed, Victorian Linthouse, which is home to Scotland’s nationally recognised collection of maritime heritage, will turn red from now, through the build up to Armistice Day and Poppy Saturday up to Remembrance Sunday on 13 November.
The countrywide ‘Light Up Red’ campaign is a key part of the Poppy Appeal, with more than 300 landmarks taking part last year, from museums, theatres and cathedrals to bridges and lighthouses, as well as public buildings and private homes.
Stuart Rich, Visitor Services Manager at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, explains:
“We are delighted to light the Linthouse red to help raise awareness of the Scottish Poppy Appeal once again.
“Built as the Engine Shop of Alexander Stephen and Sons in Govan in 1872 and extending over 40,000 square feet, the Linthouse is an impressive sight every day but seeing it illuminated is quite special and we hope it will help spread the Scottish Poppy Appeal’s message.”
The Linthouse features some of Scotland’s most historic vessels, the country’s largest collection of shipbuilding tools and engineering and inventions which influenced maritime history across the world.
Vessels include MV Spartan, the only surviving Scottish-built ‘puffer’ in Scotland (which visitors can now step inside to view a permanent exhibition on Puffers); SY Carola, possibly the world’s oldest seagoing steam yacht; MV Kyles, the oldest Clyde-built vessel still afloat in the UK and recognised as one of Britain’s most important historic vessels; Powerful, a hundred year old William Fife III sailing yacht, believed to be one of only 50 world-wide seaworthy Fife yachts; and BOLT18, an all electric boat and yacht tender, which holds the current British Water Speed Record (Unrestricted Electric Runabout Class) of 32.77 mph.
The Scottish Maritime Museum on Harbour Road, Irvine, is open daily from 10am – 5pm.
