Nairn Museum features on BBC’s ‘The Repair Shop’ as WWII artwork uncovered

A remarkable piece of Highland history was the focus of Monday’s episode.

By Alberto Lejarraga

January 13 2025, 9:59 pm

Museum curator Annie MacDonald and volunteers were delighted to see the restored paintings at Nairn Museum. Image: BBC/The Repair Shop On the Road

A Highland museum has made a special appearance on ‘The Repair Shop on the Road’.

Nairn Museum was the focus of a special episode of the BBC spin-off series, which aired tonight, Monday, January 13.

The episode, titled Highlands – Treasure in the Attic, featured host Dominic Chiesa (‘Dom’) and Inverness restoration expert Richard Fraser as they uncovered a remarkable piece of history.

The pair discovered unique WWII-era artwork painted directly onto the attic walls by Polish soldiers who were stationed at the museum.

These precious artworks were at risk of being lost forever due to the deteriorating roof and the threat of collapse.

Nairn Museum features on The Repair Shop

Founded in 1860, Nairn Museum is based in Viewfield House, a classic Regency-era building.

The independent museum – which preserves, explores and brings to life the heritage of Nairn and Nairnshire – closed in September 2024 for essential building maintenance.

Dom and Richard on their way to the museum — Dom and Richard on their way to Nairn Museum. Image: BBC/The Repair Shop on the Road

Nairn Museum from the outside — Nairn Museum featured on The Repair Shop on the Road. Image: BBC/The Repair Shop on the Road

It will reopen on March 31 this year.

The museum announced the “exciting news” of its appearance a few hours before the programme aired.

A Facebook post read: “We originally applied for conservation work on two stunning dresses from our collection, but when a fabric conservator couldn’t be found in time, the team suggested tackling something equally fascinating—the Second World War graffiti in our attic!”

The museum explained how the attic is in “desperate need” of repair.

The Highland Council is doing some minor roof work, however much-needed major works are not currently planned.

Staff at the museum hope that tonight’s visibility will help them persuade decision makers to invest in the building.

Century-old artwork uncovered at Nairn Museum during The Repair Shop

Tonight’s episode showed Dom and Inverness plastering expert Richard Fraser trying to preserve art painted by Polish soldiers on the walls of the attic of Nairn Museum during WWII.

They were welcomed by museum curator Annie MacDonald.

She took the restauration workers to the attic to see the unique artwork.

Ms MacDonald showed them a picture of flowers and a second painting of a woman, which she hoped it was “someone’s sweetheart.”

Flowers drawn by a Polish soldier in 1945. Image: BBC/The Repair Shop on the Road

The painting of a lady was the second artwork. Image: BBC/The Repair Shop on the Road

She said: “They were drawn in 1945 by Polish soldiers who stayed here – I hope we can display them to the public; that’s my dream.

“I think they’re very intimate and very delicate and it’s a story not many people know and one I know the Polish community really cares about.”

Curator Annie MacDonald described the paintings as “very special”. Image: BBC/The Repair Shop on the Road

Former museum manager Jenny Rose-Miller explained the artworks are “very much part of the local history”.

She said: “I was first aware of these in 2002, when I was museum manager and we had a visit from one of the Polish soldiers that was here and he was thrilled to see that the sketches were still here on the walls.”