Latest News
New Exhibition Inspired by the Weather Set to Open in Dundee
Whether it's blowin' a hoolie or the sun is crackin' the pavey, Scotland, its people and its language have long had an enduring relationship with our changing weather.
A Weather Eye, opening on Saturday 9 November at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery, includes work by an extraordinary range of artists who have captured the rain, snow, cloud and even sun of Scotland, telling the story of how it affects our lives and our moods.
Our unpredictable weather is also reflected in our Scots language and dialects and each of the artworks has been matched to a Scottish word, highlighting the importance of language; Scots boasts 421 different words for snow. In this exhibition, lesser known Scots words such as gowstie, ralliach, fissle and feuchter have been matched to works on display…
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Successful Summer School at The McManus
This Summer at The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum, the Creative Learning team worked in partnership with Comics Youth SCIO to deliver a free comic summer school targeted at age groups 8-13yrs and 14-18 yrs.
The project' Building Stories' has been subsidised by the National Lottery Fund and provided 16 young people with the opportunity to create, design, and publish original comics and zines themed around their lived experiences, using the museum's extensive collection as a creative stimulus for their ideas and artwork.
The participants engaged in a range of high-quality workshops to develop their creativity whilst developing new transferrable skills. Each workshop consisted of digital presentations, collaborative exercises, illustration, graphic…
Next edition of Small Steps Dundee Women's Trail launched
A second edition of 'Small Steps' Dundee Women's Trail leaflet has been launched to allow children and families to learn more about some of the notable women connected to Dundee.
Between February and April 2023, The McManus’s Creative Learning Team worked alongside Dundee Libraries and Dundee Women’s Trail to provide 92 primary 5/6 pupils from Blackness Primary school and Ancrum Road Primary School the opportunity to create a second addition of a child-friendly leaflet, based on the existing ‘Small Steps’ leaflet launched summer 2022.
The project involved the delivery and creation of a second resource to help young people investigate a further seven women from the existing Dundee Women’s Trail who have made significant contributions to society in Dundee and beyond.…
Celebrating Latent taLent, ST/ART at the McManus
The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum has released a film artwork to celebrate the project Latent talent, which has been produced in partnership with Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust’s ST/ART Project. Taking inspiration from the temporary exhibition Hidden Histories and the theme of generosity, the project focuses on shining a light towards the personal stories and lived experiences of artists living with a long-term health condition.
In collaboration with the museum’s Creative Learning Team and the online exhibition Fruits of the Spirit, developed by the National Gallery in London, ST/ART group participants have explored a pairing of two paintings, Dundee’s ‘Two Auld Wifies’ by Robert Stenberg and ‘The Arnolfini Portrait’ by Jan Van Eyck, and explored ideas around…
Think Thursday at The McManus
Come and experience The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum during a late night opening! We are free to visit at any time, and during Think Thursdays, we will be offering a unique evening for all visitors. We will have a strong family focus that encourages everyone to take inspiration from our displays and undertake some self-directed creative activities.
On Thursday April 6th, our family space will transport you to Wild Escapes inspired by our natural history and art collections where you can create your own magical creature to add to the Art Fund website, We also have new nature trails available on clipboards for families to work through.
For those feeling artistic, we have a few easels and tables set up for self-directed activity based on close looking at…
Artwork from The McManus part of digital National Gallery Exhibition
Fruits of the Spirit is a digital exhibition that enables anyone to have an art gallery in their pocket!
Devised by the National Gallery and museums throughout the UK, Fruits of the Spirit: Art from the Heart pairs nine iconic works from the National Gallery’s collection with contemporary works from nine partner institutions including The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum. The exhibition is inspired by Saint Paul’s description of themes including love, joy, and peace in the Christian Bible but is meaningful for all faiths and none. The paired paintings explore love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control all considered attributes to build and maintain community in the face of disagreement.
The exhibition is co-…
Iconic signage donated to The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery and Museum
During the clearing of the former site of Lauries of Dundee, Blackness Nursery, an iconic sign from the family business of nurserymen and landscape gardeners has been discovered and will now be donated to The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum.
The site, situated on the south side of Perth Road, opposite its junction with Invergowrie Drive and Hazel Avenue, has been empty for a number of years. SimplyUK is currently developing a Care Home on it for their operating arm Morar UK.
SimplyUK has kindly agreed for the sign to be donated to The McManus: Dundee’s Museum and Art Gallery, which is managed by Leisure & Culture Dundee, where it will become part of the museum’s official collection.
James Laurie & Son, as they came to be known, were a well-…
What's New? Recent additions to Dundee's Fine Art Collection
The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum
From Saturday, 11 February 2023
The latest exhibition at McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum will open on Saturday (11 February 2023). 'What's New: Recent Additions to Dundee's Fine Art Collection' includes a major sculpture installation by Doug Cocker, a rare studio portrait by John Duncan and work by Joan Eardley, Alberta Whittle and Katie Paterson, amongst many other artists.
Dundee's fine art collection is recognised as of national significance to Scotland by Museum Galleries Scotland. It was established in 1874 when three local collectors gifted paintings to the City. Today the collection spans four centuries of production by artists working in Britain and Europe. At its heart is a superb collection of…
Hidden Histories: Exploring Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Dundee’s art collection
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum
Exhibition runs throughout 2023
Many museums are coming to terms with the legacy of the past. Central to this is the question – whose lives do our collections reflect? This display reveals the work we have been doing to consider the 20th century art collection from different standpoints to provide a more inclusive view that better reflects the diversity of the world we live in. We hope that this will prove to be a fascinating insight into the ‘hidden histories’ that have long existed in museum collections across the country.
The ability to see your own life reflected in museum collections is important. While museums are seen by many as neutral spaces, historically they have reinforced the views of a narrow number of…
Subjectified: Women, Science and Art
Balancing Science Today
Advocating for diversity in the scientific industry in new McManus display.
A new exhibit, Subjectified: Women, Science and Art has gone on show at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum, and shares the stories of three scientists working at the University of Dundee.
The art-science collaboration explores women in physics as researchers, educators and as people in the Making of Modern Dundee Gallery at The McManus. Women and other gender minorities are increasingly present and accepted in today's sciences: both in industry and academia. But who are these women scientists as people? Silversmith Karen Westland set out to explore these ideas through their art practice and in the public exhibit which features modern ‘Cabinets of…
Former Robertson's store signage to be kept safe
Following the devastating fire and upcoming demolition of the former Robertson's furniture store on Barrack Street, also known as Willison House, we can confirm that discussions have taken place with Dundee City Council to ensure the safekeeping of the Robertson's and Willison House gate and signage at The McManus Collections Unit. Future plans for the signage and gate are still to be confirmed, but Leisure & Culture Dundee would like to reassure everyone that we will take good care of these objects meantime and are pleased to support efforts to save these items. Unfortunately, these won't be available for public viewing at the moment as damage to the items will be assessed by experts in the first instance.
