Watt Institution, 15 Kelly Street, Greenock

The Watt Institution is a multi-phase civic building located at 15 Kelly Street in Greenock, comprising a library, museum, and art gallery. Originally known as the Greenock Institution, it was built as a memorial to the engineer James Watt, who was born in Greenock.

The symmetrical, three-storey library section was constructed between 1832 and 1837 and designed by Edward Blore in a Tudor-Gothic style. It is made of rough-faced, grey ashlar sandstone and features bay windows and a central porch. Inside, there is a two-storey, galleried library and a statue of James Watt by Sir Francis Chantrey, created specifically for this space.

In 1847, wings were added to either side of the library block by Blore, which include bespoke library interiors. The building was further extended to the southwest in 1876 by Alexander Adamson, who designed a two-storey public hall and museum extension that complements Blore's castellated Gothic design. An art gallery extension was added to this 1876 phase in 1955. Additional modernisation occurred after 1978 by the Inverclyde District Council Architects Department.

In the late 2010s, the building underwent an extensive refurbishment program. This included external and internal refurbishment and conservation work, completed in February 2020, which involved repairs to the slate roof, the reintroduction of rooflights, and the reinstatement of tall chimneys. The external stonework was repaired, and the windows were refurbished. The original name of the building was restored during the refurbishment, and it is now known as the Watt Institution.