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Bute Museum is housed in a building gifted to the Buteshire Natural History Society in 1926 by the 4th Marquess of Bute. Its History and Natural History galleries display objects relating to the island of Bute. The paintings in the collection all have a Bute connection: they are either scenes of Bute or were painted by artists who lived or worked on the island.
The most notable painting in the collection is a small oil by Horatio McCulloch of St Blane’s Chapel, which is on permanent display in a case devoted to artefacts from the Early Christian Period of Bute. There is also a fine painting of the 3rd Marquess of Bute (by an unknown artist) in the same room. This depicts him in the chain and robes of office of the Lord Provost of Rothesay and hangs beside a case devoted to Burgh of Rothesay. Some of the collection hangs in the entrance hall and these include former Lord Provosts and works by Archibald McGlashan and Mary Armour.