Major summer exhibition focuses on rain

Rain is the focus of the National Library of Scotland’s forthcoming major exhibition, giving Library curators the opportunity to truly show off the storytelling capacity of the national collections.   

As rain is deeply embedded in many facets of Scottish society – ranging from agriculture and whisky, to fashion and culture and identity – the exhibition will showcase a sample of the Library’s wide holdings.  

Director of Collections, Access and Research, Alison Stevenson said: 

“Rain is so pervasive in our lives in Scotland that it is no surprise it is everywhere in the collections. Love it or hate it, rain features heavily in poetry and prose, as well as our music collections. It’s the subject of countless science books and personal diary entries. It’s often the leading headline in the newspaper and TV news collections – whether there’s too much or too little. There are many terms and references for rain in our three main languages.” 

The exhibition – opening in June – will showcase the breadth of the collections, spanning poetry, literature, music, moving image, sound, science and climate-related material, maps and a host of interactive activities for people to explore their own relationship to rain. Rain will also be explored as a facet of Scotland’s industry and exports, including the myths that are told about Scotland’s weather and landscapes. 

Star items on display will include the Library’s copy of 18th-century Scottish scientist James Hutton’s ‘Theory of Rain’; an original 1952 press book from the iconic film ‘Singin’ in the Rain’; and a vintage map of Scotland’s whisky distilleries, complete with tartan trim. From the archives, there’s also a handwritten 19th-century recipe book which features a recipe for waterproofing clothes, with the author declaring that umbrellas “in windy weather, are worse than useless!”. Rainy Scotland will also be depicted on film, and in music, throughout the gallery. 

Ms Stevenson adds: 

“We take a light-hearted approach at times as part of this exhibition, presenting rain in the poetry of Burns, the songs of Prince, Travis and Rihanna, Gene Kelly’s iconic dance. And we invite visitors to consider their own attitudes towards rain. But we are also aware of the acute problems associated with too much or too little rain around the world, causing floods, drought and displacement, all of which we will explore through our associated programme of workshops and events.” 

Rain opens to the public on Friday 19 June and will run until April next year. Entry is free. Find out more on the Library's website > https://www.nls.uk/whats-on/rain/

Rain has been kindly supported by Scotland's Green Libraries Grant Fund (via the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals Scotland), The Seachdain na Gàidhlig Small Grants Fund, and the Arts and Humanities Research Council.