Scotland’s latest international attraction, the new National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling , is to open on Saturday.
Moat Brae house and garden, the beautiful Georgian property where the young JM Barrie played the games that inspired Peter Pan, was saved from demolition 10 years ago and £8 million has been raised for its restoration and transformation.
It now has a future in which it will aim to fire young imaginations and promote a love of creativity.
The attraction is expected to attract 31,000 visitors a year and generate £1.3 million for the area’s economy.
It will feature interactive exhibits, reading and play areas, temporary exhibitions and a shop and cafe overlooking the river Nith.
Features will include the original Tinker Bell – a a small bell that J M Barrie bought to be rung whenever the fairy character appeared in the original stage version of the story – and a nearly 6ft tall dolls house.
The grounds host the Neverland Discovery Garden which includes a pirate ship, a Wendy house, a Mermaid’s Lagoon and a performance space.
Simon Davidson, Moat Brae Centre director, said:“The opening will be a very special moment – Moat Brae inspired a truly great storyteller to create one of the greatest and best-loved children’s tales of all time.
“And now it has been brought back to life as our National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling in order to spark the imaginations of many thousands of young people from every corner of the world.”
Moat Brae, which J.M. Barrie referred to as “enchanted land” will stage a wide variety of events and educational programmes.
It will also celebrate the immense richness of modern and classic poems, stories and children’s literature and illustrations from at home and abroad.
Dame Barbara Kelly, chairman of the Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust which runs the centre, said: “We are hugely grateful to all the many individuals and organisations who have come together to make our dream come true by saving Moat Brae and creating somewhere that children can play and let their imaginations roam free – just as JM Barrie’s did.”
The public fundraising campaign to save and restore Moat Brae was spearheaded by trust patron Joanna Lumley.
She said: “The moment you step into Moat Brae you understand why J.M. Barrie called it ‘enchanted land’.
“It is fantastic that children and young people everywhere can now have the chance to enjoy its magic, discover the joys of Peter Pan, and revel in other children’s literature and stories from many different times, places and cultures. It’s a wonderful achievement.”
The project has been made possible thanks to the help of a wide variety of supporters including The National Lottery Heritage Fund, VisitScotland, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Creative Scotland
The National Lottery Heritage Fund contributed £1.78 million to the transformation.
