‘The obvious choice’: public vote for new Perth museum to be named ‘Perth Museum’

There was competition from other less literal names including the Sparkling Museum of Perth and the Victoria Drummond Museum. Photograph: Quillpen royalty free stock/Alamy

A new museum in Perth will be called “Perth Museum” after a public consultation in which most people voted for the very functional name.

The name saw off competition from other less literal suggestions for the site at Perth City Hall, including the Sparkling Museum of Perth and the Victoria Drummond Museum.

A spokesperson for the museum in Scotland said Perth Museum had been a clear favourite, selected by 60% of respondents.

The name “encapsulates the stories and history of the building” and was “the obvious choice” for the museum, which opens in 2024, the spokesperson added.

“It may seem like the obvious choice, but we wanted to hear from the people of Perth and Kinross, from people old and young, from all corners. They spoke out loud, with more than 450 submitting ideas, so we listened,” they said.

A computer generated image of the new Perth city hall museum proposal. Photograph: pkc.gov.uk

The public consultation included packs sent out to schools, as well as a video and information detailing the contents of the new museum, which will tell the story of Perth and Kinross’ ancient roots.

Leaflets were delivered to areas around the museum site and there was an online campaign, the BBC reported.

The existing Perth Museum and Art Gallery will be rebranded as Perth Art Gallery.

The Perth and Kinross council leader, Grant Laing, said: “There was great enthusiasm from the public in naming the new museum … and Perth Museum was clearly the favourite choice.”

The public’s vote for Perth Museum was no doubt met with relief by museum officials, as similar public consultations have not always yielded such pedestrian names.

In 2016, the public plumped overwhelmingly for the moniker Boaty McBoatface in a vote to name a £200m polar research ship.

But the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) declined the name and called their boat the RRS Sir David Attenborough, which had come fourth in the poll.

Boaty McBoatface was instead reserved for one of its remotely operated sub-sea vehicles in recognition of the vote.

Greenpeace was also hostage to the public’s mischievous side when in 2007 it launched a campaign to name a humpback whale in the South Pacific. Mr Splashy Pants was the indisputable winner, with more than 78% of the vote.