About
Halliwell's House Museum occupies part of the oldest surviving row of dwellings in Selkirk, situated within the narrow, cobbled Halliwell's Close in the heart of this historic Scottish Borders town, and named after Walter Halliwell, a wig-maker whose trade once operated from the building. The ground floor recreates a reconstruction of an ironmonger's shop, crammed full with the varied stock and equipment such a business would have carried, evoking a bygone era of small-town Scottish commerce with an immediacy that documentary display alone could not achieve.
The museum's wider displays trace Selkirk's history as a Scottish Borders market town, including its own distinctive Common Riding tradition and its role within the region's broader textile manufacturing economy, situating the town's story alongside its better-known Borders neighbours Hawick and Galashiels while highlighting Selkirk's own particular civic identity and history. The Robson Gallery, housed within the same building, hosts a full programme of contemporary art exhibitions showcasing work from both the local area and further afield, giving Halliwell's House a dual identity as historic museum and active exhibition space, much as at the comparable Live Borders sites in Galashiels and Hawick.
Managed by Live Borders, the charitable trust responsible for museums and cultural venues across the Scottish Borders, Halliwell's House Museum's operating status has been genuinely uncertain during 2026 — the museum has been reported closed with plans to reopen, while the Robson Gallery within the same building has continued to host a scheduled 2026 exhibition programme, suggesting at least partial ongoing use of the site even during any wider museum closure. Visitors should check the current status directly with Live Borders before planning a special visit, as this is one of several small Scottish Borders museums that have faced funding-driven access uncertainty in recent years.
When open, Halliwell's House Museum offers free admission and a genuinely characterful glimpse into Selkirk's history within one of the town's oldest surviving buildings — a worthwhile addition to a wider Scottish Borders museums itinerary alongside Old Gala House and Hawick Museum, though visitors should verify access before making a dedicated trip.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
💡 Visitor Tips
- Verify current opening status directly with Live Borders before travelling — this museum's 2026 access has been genuinely uncertain.
- The Robson Gallery has continued its exhibition programme even amid wider museum access uncertainty — worth checking specifically.
- Combine your visit with Hawick Museum or Old Gala House for a fuller Scottish Borders museums tour if this site is confirmed open.
- Free entry when open, with donations welcome.
- Selkirk's town centre is compact and walkable, with the museum close to the Market Place.
Highlights
The Reconstructed Ironmonger's Shop
The ground floor recreates a reconstruction of an ironmonger's shop, crammed full with the varied stock and equipment such a business would have carried, evoking a bygone era of small-town Scottish commerce with an immediacy that documentary display alone could not achieve — one of the museum's most vividly recreated and memorable spaces.
Selkirk's Oldest Surviving Dwellings
Halliwell's House occupies part of the oldest surviving row of dwellings in Selkirk, named after Walter Halliwell, a wig-maker whose trade once operated from the building — the structure's own age and survival gives the museum an authentic historic setting matching its local-history subject matter.
The Robson Gallery
Housed within the same building, the Robson Gallery hosts a full programme of contemporary art exhibitions showcasing work from both the local area and further afield — this gallery has continued to run a scheduled 2026 exhibition programme even amid the wider museum's uncertain operating status, suggesting at least partial ongoing use of the site.
Selkirk's Common Riding Tradition
Displays cover Selkirk's own distinctive Common Riding tradition, part of the wider Scottish Borders pattern of annual horseback festivals commemorating historic border conflicts and civic identity, giving Selkirk's version of this tradition its own dedicated local-history treatment.
Collections
Halliwell's House Museum's core displays include a reconstructed ironmonger's shop and broader local-history material on Selkirk's Common Riding tradition and textile manufacturing economy, within one of the town's oldest surviving buildings. The Robson Gallery within the same building hosts a rotating contemporary art exhibition programme.
The site is managed by Live Borders, though its wider museum operating status was genuinely uncertain as of mid-2026 — verify current access before visiting.
The Ironmonger's Shop
A reconstructed ground-floor ironmonger's shop evoking Selkirk's small-town commercial history.
Selkirk's Story
The town's Common Riding tradition and role in the Scottish Borders textile economy.
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.