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International Museum Day 2025: The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities
International Museum Day 2025: The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities
To celebrate International Museum Day 2025, the museum's Creative Learning Team profile some of their recent community work. The team are passionate about creativity and self-expression, and the different ways that being creative can empower individuals and communities to tell their own stories and share their experiences. Responding to and re-interpreting our museum collections can give opportunities for new reflections on histories and the chance to include new perspectives that help shape our shared future.
Art Angel Community Collaborative projectWorking collaboratively with Art Angel, we offered a group of adults the opportunity to engage in a mixture of creative activities. The…
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Free events at The McManus Collections Unit
The McManus Collections Unit on Barrack Street, Dundee has two free events coming up next week. Both events can be booked by calling 01382 307200.
Crime and Punishment Tour
Wednesday 11 October, 12.30-1.30pm.
Explore some of the objects from Dundee’s darker history stored at the Collections Unit including highlights from the phrenology collection and William H Bury’s gravestone.
Terra Nova: A Tale of Discovery
Thursday 12 October, Doors open at 6.15pm, with talk 6.30 - 7.30pm.
Guest speaker Eric McVicar will explore Terra Nova's incredible sixty-year career. Famous as the ship that took Captain Scott on his ill-fated mission to Antarctica, what few realise is this is only part of her story. Discover a career that began in…
Invitation to join in 150th Anniversary Celebrations at The McManus
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum has invited everyone to join them in celebrating their official 150th Anniversary during the afternoon of Tuesday 12 September. This will be a birthday party to remember with the chance to chat, enjoy and learn about Dundee’s favourite building with friendly staff at the museum.
The attraction’s choir in residence, Loadsweeminsingin’, will launch proceedings with a dazzling rendition of Happy Birthday. Lord Provost Ian Borthwick and Managing Director of Leisure & Culture Dundee, Stewart Murdoch will then open the doors to an exclusive programme of memorable moments to enjoy throughout the afternoon.
Visitors will be welcomed at reception where they will be encouraged to explore the galleries and discover 150 years of…
Invitation to join in 150th Anniversary Celebrations at The McManus
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum has invited everyone to join them in celebrating their official 150th Anniversary during the afternoon of Tuesday 12 September. This will be a birthday party to remember with the chance to chat, enjoy and learn about Dundee’s favourite building with friendly staff at the museum.
The attraction’s choir in residence, Loadsweeminsingin’, will launch proceedings with a dazzling rendition of Happy Birthday. Lord Provost Ian Borthwick and Managing Director of Leisure & Culture Dundee, Stewart Murdoch will then open the doors to an exclusive programme of memorable moments to enjoy throughout the afternoon.
Visitors will be welcomed at reception where they will be encouraged to explore the galleries and discover 150 years of…
Quest to find out more about museum benefactors
Today, the McManus 168 supporters group officially launched a project that aims to collect information on the original 168 subscribers who contributed to The Albert Institute, now known as The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum. The project is part of the celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the museum being established in 1867 and is funded by Heritage Lottery. Working with two of Scotland’s most prominent historians Professors Jim Tomlinson and Chris Whatley, the project team comprises a number of specialists and archivists alongside those with no previous experience but plenty of enthusiasm.
Research has already uncovered that funding for the Albert Institute came from the community. The list includes nautical instrument makers, grocers, hecklers,…
New exhibition highlights museum’s care for collections
A new exhibition ‘Dundee Preserves: Caring for the City’s Collections’ opens at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum on Saturday June 10. For 150 years The McManus has collected, preserved, interpreted and displayed the City’s collection for the benefit of its visitors. As the museum celebrates its special 150th anniversary in 2017, this new show provides a glimpse into how curators and conservators care for, research, store, document and conserve the City’s collections, revealing the day to day activity that often takes place behind closed doors.
Over the last ten years, staff have worked hard to become a fully accredited museum service. This is a rigorous procedure, overseen by the national body Museums Galleries Scotland, which ensures that museums follow best…
The McManus getting ready for biggest day of the year
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum is getting ready to host their biggest day of the year on Saturday 20 May as part of this year’s Festival of Museums, where they will be celebrating 150 years at the museum by telling ‘The People’s Story’. There is a packed programme of entertainment planned where event goers can join museum staff and partners for an exciting day and evening of activities and experiences.
Highlights include Pop Up Performances from ZeroThree15 Theatre Company where the galleries’ paintings and sculptures will come to life. Look out for the ‘Twa Auld Wifies’, ‘The Highlander’ and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert aka ‘Vic & Bert’. There will also be the chance to find out more about the current learning and engagement project, ‘The People’s Story…
Ship Models go on permanent display at The McManus
Today, a new exhibition has gone on permanent display at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum as part of their 150th anniversary celebrations. The Maritime Quarter, tells the story of Dundee’s rich maritime heritage and the city’s links to the wider world. Located in the Dundee & the World gallery, a new bespoke case houses over 30 models from the city’s collections. Alongside a range of model sailing ships, war ships and half hulls, the exhibition also features Dundee Perth and London (DP&L) models acquired by the museum.
The display has been inspired by the purchase of eight DP&L Shipping Company models in 2015. Leisure & Culture Dundee campaigned to raise the money and with support from the National Fund for Acquisition alongside seven other public…
Fire and Stone
Fire and Stone is a fascinating exhibition which explores the history and archaeology of the Laws of Monifieth and the process behind creating contemporary responses to ancient metal and stone artefacts.
It is a continuation of the ‘Reflections on Celts’ spotlight tour which was a partnership with National Museums Scotland and the British Museum, and which also featured a bronze replica of the Monifieth Crescent by local artist Roddy Mathieson. This exhibition now examines the process behind making the crescent and also looks at other artists who have been inspired by archaeology.
At the centre of the exhibition is a replica of the Monifieth II Pictish stone which has been commissioned from stone carver David McGovern. The cross- slab is carved from sandstone quarried…
Loadsaweeminsingin’ first choir in residence at The McManus
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum have announced that the Loadsaweeminsingin’ singing group are to be their first choir in residence. The choir have already started rehearsing and are delighted to have found a new home where they will also be participating in creative collaborations at the cultural attraction as part of the museum’s 150th celebrations.
This year, The McManus the Learning & Engagement Team are leading the People’s Story, an ambitious outreach project that will explore the relationship between Dundee’s diverse communities, the museum and its collections. The residency is seen as a key addition to this process. The choir will perform at events throughout the year, enhancing opportunities the museum has to engage with audiences and highlight the…
The McManus gets ready to put 150th Anniversary celebrations on the road
Today, a campaign to celebrate The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum’s 150th Anniversary got underway with the unveiling a spectacular image of the ‘Tay Whale’ and ‘Waldella, Dundee’ by David Batchelor wrapped round a double decker bus. The bus design provides a precursor to the full McManus 150 programme and the official anniversary on September 12, 2017. The team at the gothic revival style building will be focusing throughout the year on the important role Dundee’s best loved building has played, past and present as a major cultural attraction.
Highlights of the McManus 150 programme will include a bespoke show ‘Museography: Calum Colvin reflects on The McManus Collections’. The museum’s Learning & Engagement Team will lead the People’s Story, an ambitious…
