Mackintosh based the design of the school on
Rowallan Castle in Ayrshire and
Falkland Palace. The building features a pair of windowed
Scottish baronial style tower staircases and a tiled Drill Hall. The school is an important example of the
Modern Style (British Art Nouveau style). During the building's construction, Mackintosh frequently battled the school board about the design (the board wanted a less expensive design). The total cost for the building was £34,291, which was over budget. The school was designed for an enrolment of 1,250. However, by the 1970s the area was experiencing
urban decay, and the school's enrolment fell to under 100. The school closed in 1979 and reopened as a museum in 1990. Activities and exhibits at the museum include an opportunity to participate in a Victorian classroom situation, with employed actors playing teachers who impose strict discipline. The school is the subject of a 2018 documentary by Margaret Moore,
Scotland Street School Remembers. ==See also==