The draw of the city visitor attraction has also seen a 68 per cent year-on-year increase in footfall in Perth city centre.
Perth Museum has smashed its visitor target, welcoming over 250,000 visitors in its first year.
The landmark £27m visitor attraction, which opened at the end of March 2024, exceeded the annual 167,000 visitor target by 50 per cent.
And more than 75,000 people have viewed the museum’s centrepiece, the iconic Stone of Destiny.
The success has seen Perth and Kinross Council record an average 68 per cent year-on-year increase in footfall in Perth city since 2023, even in traditionally quiet months such as November.
VisitScotland have also reported that Perthshire was the fastest-growing area outside of Edinburgh and Greater Glasgow for Scottish hotel stays in 2024.
Perth and Kinross Council leader Grant Laing said: “Perth Museum has been a fantastic success since it opened and has smashed its target for visitors in its first year.
“It is fantastic that people have responded so positively to the Museum and I am sure its success will continue in the years ahead.
“Perth Museum is not just bringing more people into Perth, it is also raising our profile across the globe.
“It is an attraction we can all be proud of and I congratulate staff at Culture Perth and Kinross on such a brilliant first year.”
The Museum displays over 2000 unique objects from 10,000 years of Scottish and global history, including the 3000-year-old Carpow Logboat, the largest-ever rod and line caught salmon in the UK, a 1000-year-old egg, and the world’s only surviving example of a cloak of feathers from the endangered kākāpo bird.
Culture Perth and Kinross (the charity that looks after Perth Museum) head of audiences and learning Ashleigh Hibbins said: “The last twelve months have been full of so many amazing milestones, and we could not have done it without local people and businesses; from visitors, to schools, to community leaders, our staff, volunteers, suppliers, and supporters.
“The success of the Museum belongs to everybody in Perth and Kinross, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds.
“We hope to see many faces from near and far celebrating with us on our birthday weekend.”
Plans to build on the Museum’s phenomenal first year include the Macbeth exhibition opening April 25, a new free display celebrating Perth’s craft heritage opening in May, and the arrival of Mary, Queen of Scots’ last letter on a three-month loan in January 2026.
Awards scooped up by the Museum are Cultural Building of the Year at the Archello Awards, Best Civic Brand Identity at the Scottish Design Awards, the Museums Association Social Justice Award for its first temporary exhibition Unicorn, best Travel PR Campaign at the Roxhill Media Awards, and the Small Regeneration Project of the Year at the Scottish Property Awards.
Perth Museum was also nominated for three prestigious Museum + Heritage Awards; Best Use of Digital – UK for the Stone of Destiny Experience at Perth Museum, Marketing + Communications Campaign of The Year for the Perth Museum Opening Campaign and Sustainable Project of The Year for Waters Rising at Perth Museum.
The Museum + Heritage Awards Ceremony will take place in London on May 15.