Scots galleries go for gold

At least three major exhibitions are being planned in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, to take place between 2011 and 2014.

They will cover the origins of sports such as curling, football and rugby, the iconic figures who achieved the highest honours for their country, and modern-day heroes including Chris Hoy, Andy Murray, Darren Fletcher and Chris Paterson.

Rarely-seen artistic treasures from the national collection, on-loan artefacts, documents and memorabilia, and newly-commissioned portrait and sculptures will go on display in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh and Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

The portrait gallery will unveil its flagship exhibition on the development of sport in Scotland when it reopens in November 2011, following its 18 million refurbishment.

Highlights are likely to include paintings and sketches marking the first football match between Scotland and England, the scene of the first proper curling matches at Duddingston in Edinburgh, early golf matches at St Andrews, and Eric Liddell, Scotland's most famous Olympic athlete.

The exhibition, which will run for three years, will be accompanied by a separate show to coincide with the summer of the London Olympics. This will celebrate the achievement of contemporary sporting heroes.

Footballing favourites Jimmy Johnstone and Jim Baxter, rugby stars Gavin Hastings and David Sole, snooker ace Stephen Hendry, sprinter Allan Wells, swimmer David Wilkie, motor racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart, and golfer Colin Montgomerie are among those expected to feature.

Galleries officials revealed plans for major new commissions of sporting figures by 2012, although they said the modern-day figures had yet to be identified.

The NGS will then be loaning a large chunk of its collection for a huge exhibition at Kelvingrove in 2014.

Details are still under wraps, but is expected to chart Scotland's great athletes, and its finest achievements in the Commonwealth Games and Olympics.

The portrait gallery's two exhibitions will be part of the UK-wide Cultural Olympiad, which will also see the National Museums Scotland stage a separate exhibition exploring the influence that cultural celebrations from around the world and festivals have had on Scottish life.

Rare costumes, masks, musical instruments and works of art will be going on display at newly- refurbished great hall in the Royal Museum during Olympic year.

James Holloway, director of the portrait gallery, said: "We're still very much in the early stages, but we're planning a number of exhibitions to coincide with the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics being held here.

"There are two different strands; one will look at the development of a number of sports in Scotland in the 19th century and how so many of them had their origins here.

"Our 2012 exhibition will be looking at more contemporary sport and we're planning a number of new commissions for an exhibition that will run over the summer."

Richard McBrearty, curator of the football museum at Hampden, said: "There are various claims to be the home of football and there is no definite answer to the question of where it was invented.

"However, Scotland has the oldest football and we have papers relating to the first recorded football club, which was formed by John Hope in Edinburgh in 1824.

"Other examples include illustrations of the first match between Scotland and England in Glasgow in 1872 and photographs of Andrew Watson, the first black international footballer, who captained Scotland in a 6-1 win over England."