list.co.uk/aroundtown MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS
Museums and attractions are listed by city, then alphabetically by venue. Listings are compiled by Jaclyn Arndt.
GLASGOW
■ BURRELL COLLECTION 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550, glasgowlife.org.uk/museums Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. Free. Set in the heart of Pollok Country Park this collection of art includes work by Degas, Rodin and Cézanne, as well as ancient and medieval artifacts. It is named after shipping tycoon Sir William Burrell, who amassed much of its collection of over 8000 objects in his own lifetime. ■ GLASGOW BOTANIC GARDENS 730 Great Western Road, 339 6964, glasgowbotanicgardens.com Gardens open daily 7am–dusk; glasshouses open daily 10am–6pm; tearoom 10am–4.15pm. Free. A great place to relax in summer or take a brisk walk in winter, with a programme of events including stargazing, gardening talks and even theatre. Also look out for exotics and exhibitions in Kibble Palace Glasshouse and the vegetable, herb and flower gardens.
■ GLASGOW NECROPOLIS 50 Cathedral Square, 552 3145, glasgownecropolis.org Daily 7am–dusk. Free. Standing on a hill behind Glasgow Cathedral, the necropolis is the city’s own Père Lachaise with an obelisk to John Knox, Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s first solo work and breathtaking views to boot. Tours are offered by the Friends of Glasgow Necropolis, advance booking essential. ■ GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART 164 Renfrew Street, 566 1472, gsa.ac.uk/ visit-gsa/gsa-shop Interpretation space & shop open daily 9.45am–5.15pm and building tours depart 10am–4.30pm. Tours £9.75 (£8; under 18s £4.75; under 5s free). Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s astounding architectural masterpiece (and still a working art school) can be viewed throughout the year, with daily tours led by current students. Due to the fire, the Mackintosh Building Tour has been reworked as an outdoor architectural tour of GSA and local buildings.
■ GLASGOW SCIENCE CENTRE 50 Pacific Quay, 420 5000, glasgowsciencecentre.org Daily 10am–5pm. £10.50 (£8.50; under 3s free); Planetarium, Glasgow Tower or IMAX Science films £2.50 extra. The home of Scotland’s first IMAX cinema, as well as fun exhibits, science shows, workshops and talks. BodyWorks Until 2018. Exhibition all about how your body works, with the chance to run in a giant hamster wheel and become a ‘snot ninja’ (lovely). Compare your physiological stats with other visitors and find out about all the latest scientific research into your very own body.
■ HUNTERIAN MUSEUM & ART GALLERY 82 Hillhead Street, 330 4221 (museum) / 330 5434 (gallery), gla.ac.uk/hunterian Tue–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 11am–4pm; closed Mon. Free; Mackintosh House £5 (£3; under 18s free). Scotland’s oldest public museum, founded in 1807, houses collections relating to science, medicine, archaeology, geology and more, as well as art by Charles Rennie Mackintosh (including the Mackintosh House – the reassembled interior of his home) and James McNeill Whistler. FREE The Lost Tomb of Robert the Bruce Until Jan 2015. See the first 3D digital model reconstruction of the fragmented tomb of Robert the Bruce, who was buried at Dunfermline Abbey.
Museums & Attractions | AROUND TOWN
■ KELVINGROVE ART GALLERY & MUSEUM Argyle Street, 276 9599, glasgowlife.org. uk/museums Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. Free. Twenty-two collections and more than 8000 artifacts, ranging from natural history, armour and weaponry to art from many different eras and touring exhibitions, all housed in a grand red sandstone building on the banks of the River Kelvin. See Visual Art section for more exhibition details.
■ NATIONAL PIPING CENTRE 30–34 McPhater Street, 353 0220, thepipingcentre.co.uk Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; Sat 9am–1pm; closed Sun. £4.50 (£3.50; under 16s £2.50; family £11). Home to the Museum of Piping as well as a reference library, shop and restaurant. ■ PEOPLE’S PALACE & WINTER GARDENS Glasgow Green, 276 0788, glasgowlife. org.uk/museums Palace open Tue–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm; closed Mon; Winter Gardens open daily 10am–5pm. Free. Located on Glasgow Green, the Palace gives an insight into how the people of Glasgow lived from the 1750s to the late 20th century, while next door the Winter Gardens house exotic plants and a café. The Road from Delhi Until Jun 2015. Display celebrating the collaboration between Delhi and Glasgow at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Flag Handover event.
■ POLLOK HOUSE 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 0844 493 2202, nts.org.uk/property/pollok-house Daily 10am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm). £6.50 (£5; family £11.50–£16.50). Set within Pollok Country Park, this 18th-century house holds one of the best collections of Spanish art in the UK, as well as traditional Edwardian furniture and decoration.
■ PROVAND’S LORDSHIP 3 Castle Street, 276 1625, glasgowlife.org. uk/museums Tue–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm; closed Mon. Free. The oldest house in Glasgow, and one of only four surviving medieval buildings. Restored to its 17th-century finest, there is also a medicinal garden with the intriguing Tontine Faces stone masks. ■ RIVERSIDE MUSEUM 100 Pointhouse Place, 287 2720, glasgowlife.org.uk/museums Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. Free. A rebooted version of the Transport Museum housed in a cutting-edge piece of architecture by Zaha Hadid. The recently acquired South African locomotive is the largest exhibit in the Glasgow Museums’ collection. Adventurers Until Mar 2015. See and learn about the machines that have been the choisen mode of transport for rebels, hellraisers and anyone wanting to annoy their mother. Doon the Watter Until Jun 2015. Discover how families have enjoyed the river for the past 50 years.
■ SCOTLAND STREET SCHOOL MUSEUM 225 Scotland Street, 287 0500, glasgowlife.org.uk/museums Tue–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm; closed Mon. Free. Another wonderful building designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the museum details the history of the country’s education system from the time of Queen Victoria right through to the swinging 60s. The Games We Play Until Sun 7 Sep. An exhibition looking at the culture of game playing across centuries and countries.
tour £8 (£3.50); museum entry £7 (£3); combined ticket £11 (£5); under 5s free. Located inside Scotland’s national football stadium, a couple of miles south of the city centre, this museum displays all kinds of memorabilia and offers tours of the stadium itself.
■ ST MUNGO MUSEUM OF RELIGIOUS ART & LIFE 2 Castle Street, 276 1625, glasgowlife.org. uk/museums Tue–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm; closed Mon. Free. Situated across the road from the Provand’s Lordship, this museum holds artwork and historical artifacts exploring the role of religion in people’s lives, promoting understanding and respect between faiths. In Honour’s Cause: Glasgow’s World War I Memorials Until Apr 2015. Photographic exhibition documenting the city’s WWI memorials, from plaques to monuments. ■ THE TALL SHIP AT RIVERSIDE 150 Pointhouse Place, 357 3699, thetallship.com Daily 10am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm). Free. Step aboard the Glenlee, one of only five Clyde-built ships still afloat today. Learn about the maritime history of the area through talks, tours and costume days.
EDINBURGH
■ CAMERA OBSCURA & WORLD OF ILLUSIONS Castlehill, 226 3709, camera-obscura. co.uk Daily 9.30am–9pm until Sun 31 Aug; from Mon 1 Sep 9.30am–7pm. £12.95 (£10.95; under 16s £9.50; under 5s free). The ‘camera’ is a giant periscope inside a Victorian rooftop tower on the Royal Mile, giving a spectacular 360° perspective on Edinburgh, plus there’s interactive optical fun galore. The building also contains three galleries and lights up at night.
■ DEEP SEA WORLD Battery Quarry, North Queensferry, 01383 411880, deepseaworld.com Daily 10am–6pm (last entry 5pm). £13.50 (£11.50; under 13s £9.50; under 3s free; family £40–£44). Home to everything from seals to piranhas, this marine life centre has a petting area and underwater tunnel so you can get to grips with the deep. Approximately a 20-minute drive from Edinburgh.
■ EDINBURGH CASTLE AND NATIONAL WAR MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND Castlehill, 225 9846 (info)/ 668 8081 (bookings), edinburghcastle.gov.uk/nms. ac.uk/war Daily 9.30am–6pm (last entry 5pm). £16 (£12.80; children £9.60; under 5s free). Perhaps Edinburgh’s most visible landmark, the Castle perches on top of a rocky outcrop at the head of the Royal Mile, and includes ceremonial rooms, fortifications, dungeons and Scotland’s Honours or crown jewels. Inside, the National War Museum delves into the past 400 years of the country’s military history. Next of Kin Until Mar 2015. A look at Scotland at war, and how people at home deal with the absence or loss of loved ones. ■ THE EDINBURGH DUNGEON 31 Market Street, 240 1001 (info) / 0871 423 2250 (bookings), thedungeons.com Daily 10am–7pm until Sun 31 Aug; from Mon 1 Sep 10am–5pm. £10.95–£16.50 (£10.50–15.60; under 16s £9.50–£12.60; family £39–£49.80). A grizzly look into historical Edinburgh, with actor-led tours and rides, just above Waverley Station. With special opening hours around Hallowe’en.
■ THE SCOTTISH FOOTBALL MUSEUM Hampden Park, 616 6139, scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun 11am–5pm. Stadium ■ EDINBURGH ZOO Corstorphine Road, 334 9171, edinburghzoo.org.uk Daily 9am–6pm (last entry 5pm). £16.50 (£14; under 16s £12; under 3s free; family £36.45–£62.10).
FIVE INDEPENDENCE EVENTS TO CHECK OUT
As the debate ramps up in the final weeks before the vote, here are some events which could help make your mind up ReferendumFest
If you’ve been itching to get your voice heard, now’s your chance. Join politicians and members of the public when ReferendumFest gives Edinburgh its own Speakers’ Corner. These soapbox spots are alongside three sessions each afternoon hosting speakers from both sides of the debate. Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh, until Fri 22 Aug. Independence and Monetary Reform
Speaking of monetary policy . . . No wait, come back! If fractional reserve banking and government gilts are a mystery to you, these sessions may prove illuminating, terrifying or both. Campaign group Positive Money look at how an in- dependent Scotland might create a new monetary system. CCA, Glasgow & Summerhall, Edinburgh, Thu 4 Sep.
Aye Right? How No?
Bringing some much-needed levity, Vladimir McTavish and Keir McAlister host spoken word, poetry, comedy and music. Better suited to taking your mind off monetary policy than informing your decision, a successful run on the Fringe suggests that the debate needn’t be all daggers over the dinner table. The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 7 Sep; The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 17 Sep.
Glasgow Skeptics: Is Scotland Going to Vote Yes?
Approaching the referendum in typically disinterested fashion, the Glasgow Skeptics call on political pollster, Professor John Curtice, to dissect the polls and give his statistically significant prediction. The Admiral, Glasgow, Mon 8 Sep. Scotland’s Democracy Trail
Promising to cover 500 years of Scotland’s history leading up to the vote, the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s Donald Smith and Stuart McHardy lead a walking tour of some of Edinburgh’s most histori- cally and politically significant sites. The Hub, Edinburgh, Mon 8–Sat 13 Sep. (Joe McManus)
21 Aug–18 Sep 2014 THE LIST 41