The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry Exhibition has opened in the newly refurbished townhouse in Irvine.

Featuring more than 300 hand-stitched panels, the tapestry shows the impact made by Scots emigrants globally around the world.

The exhibition was opened by North Ayrshire Council provost Ian Clarkson.

Its staging in Irvine involves a partnership between North Ayrshire Council, Irvine Burns Club and Irvine Lasses Burns Club.

The exhibition returned to Scotland earlier this year after a two-year tour of Scottish communities worldwide.

It left Scotland with 167 tapestry panels and returned with more than 300 panels, telling the story in stitches of the impact of the Scottish Diaspora globally.

Organisers estimate more than 75,000 hours of embroidery have gone into the creation of the tapestry, with people aged between 12 and 90 adding everything from a few stitches to complete panels.

This will be the only staging of the exhibition in west central Scotland during its current UK national tour.