Westminster, the seat of British political power and the home of the Mother of all Parliaments. But 2024 marks the 25th birthday of its little sister north of the border. Nestled next to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the Scottish Parliament has its own fair share of heated political battles, and as such, its own rich and vibrant history. Take a walk down memory lane, take stock of the current situation and glimpse into the future, mere feet from a chamber full of MSPs, with an exhibition in the very heart of Scottish democracy.
The Parliament Exhibition is a collection of facts, items and documents from across the time that Scotland has held a devolved administration. Explaining both the history and current functioning of parliamentary representation in Scotland, this small exhibition takes visitors on a journey into the heart of Holyrood, how we’ve got here and where the devolved government may go next. It also features notable political events in Scottish history before the establishment of devolution in the late 1990s and details leading up to the impending 25th anniversary of its establishment.
It’s worth beginning this by saying that access to this exhibit is free. Whilst not remarkable within the wider scope of museums across our country and even within our city, the fact that this exhibit sits inside the actual Scottish Parliament building (which is also free to access and wander around unlike its equivalent in Westminster) and is easy to get to is a huge positive. It would be remarkably easy to charge a decent fee to get into the building, which is absolutely stunning and an artwork unto itself, and then into the exhibit, and yet not doing so makes this so accessible and gets a big tick from me.
Turning now to the actual subject of this exhibition, it’s overall pretty standard. It does what it says on the tin to a high quality and would leave anyone feeling well informed about the building they are in and its functions. I did enjoy the inclusion of sections discussing what the role of the current executive in Holyrood is, particularly a handy graphic listing areas the devolved administration has jurisdiction over. This is often a contentious political issue, and is often unclear when something occurs in Scotland, whether Holyrood or Westminster are directly responsible, so this was great to see. I also very much enjoyed the small model which shows the current distribution of MSPs. A small touch but elegantly done with beautiful craftsmanship that I would happily display in my room if I had the chance!
That being said, whilst I like everything that’s included in this small collection, there was very little that surprised me or stood out beyond what’s already been discussed. Several of the facts give pause for thought or can be curious to visitors, but this isn’t due to the exhibition itself and there felt like this just needs something more. I’d like a slightly greater focus on the buildings themselves, which are touched on but fleetingly, and perhaps more insight into some of the roles within the Scottish Parliament, such as First Minister, Cabinet roles, Presiding Officer, and so on.
There is so much that could be explored here that isn’t and whilst it doesn’t detract from the experience by any means (I happen to think this is a pretty good exhibit, particularly within a working, functioning parliament building), it does feel as if there is a potential to expand here. But considering what we have, I would advise people to go and take a look at this if they happen to be passing. It takes ten minutes to read over everything and see it all, but can be a much longer experience if it peaks your interest. But nothing ventured, nothing gained! Accessible for politics pundits and newbies, The Parliament Exhibition does a respectable job given its miniature size.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
The Parliament Exhibition is a continuing display at The Scottish Parliament
