Published: Tuesday, 30th June, 2009 2:23pm

The Baird Re-Opens

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Following a major refurbishment The Baird"s new museum and art gallery will be re-opening to the public on Saturday 25th July.

The Baird has been brought up to the same high standard as other East Ayrshire Venues such as the Dick in Kilmarnock and Burns House Museum in Mauchline. A formal launch will take place on 25th July from 12 til 4pm with refreshments and a free Baird Bug for primary aged children visiting.

The new Cumnock Room will feature permanent displays on Cumnock Pottery, Mining and the Covenanting movement. New cases and lighting will allow more objects from the collections to be displayed.

The "Keir Hardie Room" has been updated and redisplayed, but still features many original objects from the home of James Keir Hardie, the innovative and influential politician who made his home in Cumnock.

The Arts and Museums Team are proud to announce that as a result of the refurbishment works they have secured on loan for three months, the iconic and nationally important Peden"s mask. This is the mask worn by the covenanting preacher Alexander Peden, to hide his identity, and comes to Cumnock by kind permission of National Museums Scotland.

The building also features a Learning Centre, enhanced disabled access and new toilets.

The launch exhibition "Your Museums, Your Collections" 25th July - 5th September, in the brand-new gallery, features fine art and objects from the Baird collections and beyond and gives a taste of exhibitions to come.

Also look out for "Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle: The Wonderful World of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake", 24th Sept - 12th December. Using fabulous original artwork, spectacular visuals and lots of family-friendly interactives, this exhibition invites visitors to step into the weird and wonderful world of author Roald Dahl and illustrator Quentin Blake. The exhibition is split between the Doon Valley Museum and the Baird Institute, Cumnock.

Leader of the Council Douglas Reid remarked 'The Baird has had a remarkable face lift and provides the people of Cumnock with a wonderful resource. The work which has been carried out will allow exhibitions of a very high calibre to be displayed at the venue and as we see from the Peden"s Mask loan, the venue can now accommodate key objects from national institutions such as National Museums Scotland. I hope the people of Cumnock will take pride in the venue and visit on many occasions.'

The launch event at The Baird is open to all but ticketed, to receive an invitation call 01563 578154 or e mail carol.keohone@east-ayrshire.gov.uk