The Great Tapestry of Scotland
The Great Tapestry of Scotland / Live Borders
In Galashiels, 160 embroidered panels bring thousands of years of Scotland's story together through the work of more than a thousand stitchers from communities across the country.
The Great Tapestry is both a history of Scotland and an extraordinary piece of collective making. Historian Alistair Moffat shaped the narrative, artist Andrew Crummy created the designs, and more than a thousand volunteer stitchers brought the panels to life. Look closely and national history becomes individual decisions in thread, colour and stitch. Its permanent home in Galashiels matters too: a Borders town with a deep textile history, now reconnected directly to Edinburgh by the railway restored in 2015.
At first sight there is a lot to take in, so it is worth taking a moment to appreciate the scale before getting close up. Beyond the major events represented across the tapestry, you can see ordinary lives, work, food, transport, migration and small details hidden within the panels. The volunteer stitchers have introduced character of their own too. A first visit can give you a sweep of the story, but the closer you look, the more there is to return to.
The Great Tapestry is one of those places that rewards you the more time you give it. From a distance it gives you an extraordinary way to experience and walk through Scotland's story. When close up, you start finding little 'easter eggs', small hidden details and insights into ordinary life in Scotland. I like that it has found a permanent home in Galashiels, a Borders town with a strong textile lineage. For me, our national story and the act of making belong together here.
Ask about exploring this place or connecting it with others on a guided day in Scotland.
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