Me-Now-Views; Museum Moments part the first

As is my wont, the visit to the Dunoon Castle House museum resulted in a number of photographic images.  

Peculiarly, this did not include one of the exterior of the building.  Mind you it wasn't the prettiest day, and I was keen to get inside.  So to begin, a borrowed image, just to set the scene as it were.

Clearly this is not an actual castle. Neither is it in the strict Scottish Baronial style. It was built in 1822 and amongst other things served as council chambers and town library over the years.  It is now solely dependent on income from visitors and the museum is run by volunteers.

The lower floors are used for receptions and other such activities.  The 'museum' is on the upper floor. I bracketed that because as museums go, this one is rather... homely.  A great deal crammed into little space.  Interest value is variable.  The humble entry levy is worth the paying though!

Especially when you get concession rates.  I was greeted with much bon homie by a lady and a gent, whose names I totally forgot to take. Let's call them Bonnie and Clyde.  

Well, the Clyde is right outside and it surely is bonnie!!!

Clyde instructed Bonnie to charge seniors rate (£1.50), a saving of 25% for me.  I protested. At 55 years I did not think it applied. It seemed to fall on deaf ears though and I figured out that it had something to do with being resident... and grey hair...and walking stick...  Whatever, concession accepted. Clyde, it transpired, was a keen photographer also.  I was at the entry counter for a full half hour before getting anywhere near the museum...

It took a few moments to realise that the 'exhibits' immediately adjacent to the counter are in fact sale items of very recent origin.  Desperate crystals ripped from Brazil's abused grounds and further degraded by enforced processes of bleaching and irradiation.  As a healer who has felt the power of pure stones, these limp and lifeless specimens brought  a lump to my throat.  Clyde was overheard (not dulcet-toned, that man) saying to some visitors from Lancashire that the Scottish stones are now too costly.  

What cost this plundered bounty?  Move on YAM, you cannot change the world in this moment.

The counter itself, and the shelving behind it, were filled with trinkets.  Did I say filled? Jam-packed full.  I do have something of a penchant for little boxes and tins so found a lot to linger over here. The remainder of this lower mezzanine level had a tiny cabin showing a 10 minute video of scenes of the area in the then and now style; a display of paintings from local amateurs of various well known boats of the firth; some kiddies interactive stuff based on natural history and toys.  Up a few steps then to a jumble of other exhibits.  

It is quite well known that many of the military exercises of the war era were undertaken locally. (Still are.) This board displayed something of that history.

...you may need to magnify that one... but for all my interest in this history, the detail of where the famous bomb was tested had escaped me. Well, my memory anyway.  

Looking up from the board to admire the heather-root thatch I got a shock - had Albert Einstein found a new life?

I did take other angles of this 'fellow' at work. None too flattering though, so this is your lot on this one.  

The roof that is being shown here is over a small two-room "butt'n'benn"; a croft-style hut common to to the highlands. A few still survive.

It has to be said that the mannikins were rather disconcerting.
Correction.  They gave me the heebie-jeebies.  I shall protect you from them. Apart from Albie here... and this one with his face averted.  Attending his illicit whisky still.

In true Wild YAM style, it's to be continued!......