Robert Burns fireplace with fire lit in the hotel lobby

Curating the Fife Arms

Art at the Heart

A Lucien Freud painting in the lobby of the Fife Arms hotel

Spanning the centuries in over 16,000 works of art, from oil portraits to taxidermy and contemporary photographs, the Fife Arms celebrates human creativity across diverse mediums.

Each selection was made with the specific requirement that the piece would contribute to the stories told by the Fife Arms, creating a rich tapestry of art history that is a joy to unravel.

Commissions & Discoveries

The extensive range of artworks on display throughout the hotel was sourced and curated through a variety of routes. Some works were specially purchased at auction or through private sales, some were specifically commissioned from contemporary artists for specific spaces within the hotel, and some artworks are on loan.

A particularly special discovery was the Burns Chimney-Piece. Salvaged from Montrave House in Leven, Fife, which was demolished in the early 1970s, it dates to the 19th century and looks very much as if it has been an original part of the Fife Arms interior since the hotel was built.

One of the finest examples of traditional Victorian craftsmanship and design within the hotel, the chimney-piece provides a wonderful focal point for the Fife Arms’ celebration of Robert Burns’ writings each year and serves as a prominent reminder of Burns’ significance within Scottish Culture.

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The Burns Chimney-Piece in the lobby of the Fife Arms

The lobby in the Fife Arms with a Steinway piano

Ursula magazine on a table in the Fife Arms lobby

The Steinway piano and Burns Chimney-Piece in the Fife Arms lobby

The Burns Chimney-Piece

View the Art page to learn more.

A Home for Art

The way in which visitors, guests, and staff experience art at the Fife Arms is special too. The collection has been curated to be experienced as one would within a home, without barriers, labels, or ceremony.

This differs to the way in which art is often encountered in an art gallery setting, with artworks often viewed at a distance or in very crowded conditions. Indeed, many of the artworks within the Fife Arms could typically only be seen by visiting a major gallery or museum, which makes it all the more exceptional that they are to be found in a hotel in the Scottish Highlands.

Many of the major artworks and commissions are installed in areas of the hotel that are equally accessible to the local and visiting public, and are not exclusively hung in guest rooms or private spaces. In this way, the Fife Arms also functions as a major cultural resource for the whole community and wider region.