Museums and Galleries

Rozelle House Galleries

The Royal Burgh of Ayr held the Rozelle lands as part of the Barony lands of Alloway until an auction in 1754 to reduce the Burgh debt brought sale of the lands to Robert Hamilton for £2,000. The Hamilton family made their fortune in the sugar and tobacco industries in the West Indies. The first mansion house was finished by 1760 and was in the classical style of Robert Adam. During the early Nineteenth Century the house was remodelled by David Bryce to remove the previous classical structure.

The House and estate flourished throughout the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, but by the 1960s the Hamilton family were struck by high death duties and taxation which led to the sale of much of the surrounding land. In 1968 the house, with none of its historic interior remaining, was gifted to the Royal Burgh of Ayr leading to its establishment as the Council's Museum and Art Gallery. Between 1975-76 the servant's quarters and stable block were converted into the Maclaurin Galleries with funds from the bequest of Mrs Mary Ellen Maclaurin.

Rozelle House is now a major display venue, currently showing the significant collection, Tam O' Shanter, a series of 54 paintings, by Alexander Goudie. The exhibition also includes a labelled guide for children (this children's guide is used in teaching throughout South Ayrshire schools). There are also a number of art workshops and classes held at Rozelle which are open to people of all abilities. Bookings for workshops must be done through reception at Rozelle House before attending.

For Homecoming 2009 the exhibition A Star is Born - Robert Burns and Alloway featuring collections from Burns Cottage Museum will be on display in Rozelle House.

In addition to this, Rozelle House is home to the Ayrshire Yeomanry museum, Rozelle Craft House and Rozelle Coffee Shop. All 3 of these are open to the public during normal opening hours for Rozelle House and the Maclaurin Galleries.

Rozelle House is an Accredited Museum under the MLA Accreditation Scheme