Before it has even welcomed its first guest, V&A Dundee has been hailed as providing a “fire in the belly” not seen in the City of Discovery for years.
And it is hoped these benefits will spread out further across Scotland.
Yesterday V&A Dundee director Philip Long described its opening as a “very proud moment for all involved,” adding that it was “not without emotion” that he welcomed its first guests.
He said: “It is a new institution with a new vision. I want to help people understand why design is important in all of our lives.”
His counterpart at V&A London, Tristram Hunt, called it a “cultural milestone”.
“We’re extremely proud to share in this exceptional partnership, the first of its kind in the UK, and to have helped establish a new international centre for design that celebrates Scotland’s cultural heritage,” he added.
Council leader John Alexander said the V&A has already helped to transformed Dundee’s fortunes.
As well as a “renewed sense of pride” in the city, he says it has rewarded its citizens with a “fire in the belly” not seen for years.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop has predicted it will be a culturally and economically relevant for “decades to come”, while Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “Quite simply, V&A Dundee is the biggest addition to Scotland’s cultural scene this century.
“I’ve no doubt it will draw millions of people from across Scotland and around the globe in the years to come and I am as excited as anyone at the prospect of seeing it for the first time.”