Latest News
Tickets Available for Bicentenary Celebration of James Guthrie Orchar at The McManus
Following a sold out event at Broughty Castle Museum, Leisure & Culture Dundee has announced there will be a second evening celebrating the bicentenary of James Guthrie Orchar, one of Dundee’s renowned cultural patrons and art collectors at The McManus on Thursday 16 October, 2025.
The event will take place in the Victoria Gallery at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum, surrounded by masterpieces from Orchar’s original collection. Guests will enjoy a curator-led talk on Orchar’s life, his importance as a cultural patron and the legacy of his art collection alongside a surprise unveiling to conclude the evening.
Anna Day, Head of Libraries and Cultural Services said
“We were delighted by the response to our sold out event at Broughty Castle Museum and…
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The Art of Spring
The Art of Spring
Hop along with us as we look at some works from Dundee’s Fine Art collection that will get you in the mood for all the joys of Spring!
Tulips in a Glass (1984), oil on board by Ann Patrick (b. 1937)A sure sign of Spring, these vibrant tulips are a joy to behold, painted by Ann Patrick, daughter of the beloved Dundee artist James McIntosh Patrick. She was born in Dundee and studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and at Hospitalfield, Arbroath and her teachers included Alberto Morrocco and David McClure. #springflowers #tulips #flowerart #womenartists
© The Artist
Springtime, oil on canvas by Jane Elizabeth Spindler (1856-1939)Take a moment to immerse yourself in this tranquil scene - complete with ducks, cows and…
Eight Women Artists spanning four centuries in Dundee's Collections'
Eight Women Artists spanning four centuries in Dundee's Collections'
The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery and Museum offers a fascinating insight into Dundee and with 8 galleries to explore, there is a wealth of information to discover in our exhibitions of art, history and the environment.
To celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth, we want to shine a spotlight on some of the wonderful works by women artists that we have in Dundee City’s collection. Join us as we travel through time from the days of powdered wigs to the age of cutting-edge silver sculpture in these great works of art by pioneering and creative #womenartists. #ScottishArt #ArtHistory #ScottishArtHistory
18th century: Katherine Read (1723-1778) – Portrait of Willielma Campbell, Lady Glenorchy (1762…
McManus Creative Learning Outreach Programme Connects with Ukrainian Families
The McManus Creative Learning Team has begun distributing their free ‘McManus Connects’ Activity books and art resource packs to Ukrainian families as part of an engaging outreach initiative. The creative book is a direct lead on from our 2021-22 Reconnect project; in this previous project the team created a creative book for families, working with Home-Start Dundee during lockdown, and are now using this book as a template for the Ukrainian version. The project at the museum has translated art and craft activities into Ukrainian for those who have arrived in Dundee since 2022.
An associated programme of in-house and outreach workshops designed to foster creativity and community integration, and welcome Ukrainian families to the museum, is now taking place as part of the…
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…
