DRYFESDALE Lodge reopened to visitors last Friday with a new exhibition.
The visitor centre has undergone a transformation over the past few years with a new light and airy look inside and a revamp of its exhibitions.
Two of the lodge’s three rooms continued to be dedicated to the memory of those lost in the Lockerbie Disaster, with one room focusing on the remembrance of the disaster and the second room celebrating the positive connections between the town and the families of victims, as well as the relationship with Syracuse University.
Steve Bogle, Dryfesdale Lodge development officer, said: “We have worked very closely with the Victims of Pan Am 103 organisation, to create our two exhibition rooms, we’ve always wanted it to be more about remembering the people and capturing the feeling of remembrance rather than the events of that night because some people won’t have the same connection to it as others.
“Also, having the space to reflect on some of the good things that came out of the relationships it forged, so we have photos showing the visits of Syracuse students to the town.”
The newest addition to the lodge is the ‘local history space’ which showcases Lockerbie’s history during other notable periods, including the Roman era, the Dark and Middle ages, as well as the Border Reivers’ time.
Steven added: “With that space we wanted to show that Lockerbie’s history extends beyond the disaster, even though it was an important moment in time, there is a lot of other interesting history in the area, so hopefully our visitors find out something about Lockerbie they weren’t expecting.”
Now that the Lodge is fully open for the spring/summer season, its trustees are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to Dryfesdale. Tim McCracken added: “Last year the lodge recorded over 2000 visitors and for the 2025 season will again be open weekly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as well as on Bank Holiday Mondays, from 11 am till 3 pm until the end of September, and during the week leading up to 21st December.
“We very much look forward to welcoming all our visitors, to the Lodge.”
