The Scottish Cup gets a new-look home in the Scottish Football Museum

The oldest trophy in the world for association football has been given pride of place in its home at the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park, as a new dedicated Gallery opens to the public today, 13th September 2023. 

As part of the 150^th anniversary of Scottish football celebrations, the Museum has redesigned existing gallery space to display the iconic trophy, the jewel in its globally-recognised collection of footballing memorabilia.

What visitors can expect

Cared for all year round by the dedicated team at the Museum, the Cup is lovingly curated and prepared for Cup Final day, and visitors can find out more about the role the Museum plays in its care in a special video created for the new Gallery.  

The entrance to the new Gallery is flanked by oversized cutouts of the sides of the distinctive trophy, ushering visitors inside to discover the rich story of the competition’s long history through key moments illustrated on the engaging wall visuals, which also showcase the story of Scottish Cup in the modern era. As history unfolds in Scotland from 1873 when the Cup was first presented, the competition has been a constant; providing the highs, lows, drama and excitement that unites a nation in its passion for the beautiful game.

Demi Boyd, Exhibitions & Collections Keeper at the Scottish Football Museum, said: 

We're delighted to be able to give the Scottish Cup the prominence it deserves. The trophy has seen cup shocks, giant slayers and under dog stories as well as our shared social history. The new gallery puts the trophy into its historical context while still looking forward. We hope the new gallery will spark conversations and memories of shared experiences. We hope visitors will leave with a new appreciation of the trophy and what it means for Scottish football.

Caring for the Cup all year round and seeing the trophy come to life on Cup Final Day is a true privilege and a highlight of my career. 

A special new documentary style video has been produced with SNS Group which showcases Scottish Cup memories recounted by legends of the game, football fans and the Museum staff who look after the trophy.

An interactive display allows young and old alike to test their knowledge of the Cup and try their hand at a fun quiz, designed in partnership with the children of a local secondary school for young people with additional support needs, Hollybrook Academy. 

Designed to maximise inclusivity and accessibility for all audiences, the Gallery has been designed and built with Studio Arc, who have extensive experience in delivering award-winning displays and spaces.

“It has been an honour to design the new gallery for the redisplay of the Scottish Cup – the oldest national football trophy in the world. The new display brings the story of this iconic Cup to life, tracing 150 years of its history and redisplaying the Cup to give it prominence and presence within the National Football Museum. New interpretation links a century and a half of Scottish footballing history with Scotland’s story, through a timeline, film and interactives. As the world around us has changed, the Scottish Cup has remained a steadfast element – a powerful and tangible symbol, linking generations of players, teams and supporters for 150 years. We hope that visitors will be engaged in the new display and be inspired by Scotland’s proud footballing history.”  - Lindsey Bowditch, Director, Studio Arc

Engaging a young audience

In addition to the Gallery space, educational resources linked to the Cup have been added to ‘Learning Through Football’, the Scottish FA’s digital learning platform, to engage school children across the country and encourage them to find out more about the Cup’s history.

Open to the public from today, the new Gallery is set to be a leading attraction as part of the Museum and stadium tours on offer at Hampden Park. Visitors are encouraged to book in advance via the Museum website to secure a spot on the popular tours, which include the chance to visit the home and away dressing rooms, the warm up area and go pitch side. 

Find out more

To enjoy the free digital learning resources connected to the Scottish Cup, visit the Scottish FA's Learning Through Football portal and check out the 'spotlight' section: Learning Through Football | Scottish FA

The Scottish Cup Gallery project is part of the 150^th anniversary celebrations of Scottish Football, to find out more visit the Scottish FA's dedicated website for the project: 150 years of Scottish Football (scottishfa.co.uk)

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