Weird and wonderful

Unusual, quirky and unexpected, Doors Open Days opens some weird and wonderful buildings...

Highlights

Museum Collections Store
New This Year
open/close
19.09.10 (12.00-17.00)
Old Crawford Building, 91 North Street, St Andrews
Description

The newly opened Museum Collections Store contains many objects of national significance from across the University’s museum collections. 

The Store is based in the Old Crawford Building which is opposite St Andrews Police Station. 

Activities

Tours during Doors Open Day provide a great opportunity to glimpse behind the scenes at the museum. 

Tours are free, but booking is essential.  Please call 01334 461699. 

Disabled Access through Door C.

Facilities
WC Disabled WC Disabled Access 
Add To My List
Haddington Town House Grand Piano
open/close
12.09.10 (10.00-16.00)
The Town House, Haddington,  EH41 4DA
Description
Haddington Town House Grand Piano - Image 1

An open invitation to all pianists of all ages, amateur or professional, to play Haddington Concert Society’s magnificent Bösendorfer concert-grand piano in its home at the Town House, at the west end of Haddington High Street. Play music with the richness and brilliance you will only experience with a full-size instrument.

This superb instrument came from the Musikverein concert hall in Vienna and was inaugurated in April 2005 by the virtuoso pianist John Lill.

Activities

No booking required.

Just come along between 10.00 and 16.00 and take your turn to play the piano played and praised by international soloists such as Valerie Tryon and John Lill.

Facilities
WC 
Add To My List
National Hyperbaric Centre
open/close
11.09.10 (Tours: 10.00, 11.00, 12.00)
123 Ashgrove Road West, Aberdeen,  AB16 5SA
Description
National Hyperbaric Centre - Image 1

Perhaps best known for the treatment of decompression sickness, “the bends”, this unique facility provides a range of services to the subsea industry.

Activities

Advance booking required.
To view the building on Doors Open Day it is essential to book in advance on 01224 698895. The booking line is open from Monday 30 August until Friday 10 September.

Tour times:  10.00, 11.00 and 12.00

Image (c) www.hyperchamber.com 

Facilities
WC Disabled Access Refreshments 
Add To My List
Carbeth Huts
open/close
18.09.10 (11.00-16.00) - 19.09.10 (12.00-16.00)
Carbeth Roads (off A809 behind the Carbeth Inn), (off western end of B821 Cuilts Rd.), Blanefield,  G63 9AT
Description
Carbeth Huts - Image 1

Situated in the Carbeth Conservation Areas, this is an extraordinary piece of social history. The first huts at Carbeth date from 1919 and the majority were built in the 1930s. Built for holiday and weekend use they are privately owned and some have been in the ownership of the same family for many years.

Predominantly of timber construction with felted or corrugated roofs and distinctive metal flues or brick chimneys, these unique, hand-built huts have a character all of their own.

Activities

This is an exciting opportunity to see inside some of the huts and speak with their owners.
Tea will be available in huts where the teacup symbol is displayed.

Limited Disabled access

Image (c) www.carbethhuts.com

Facilities

Add To My List
Renfrew: Xscape
open/close
11.09.10 (Tours at 12.00, 13.00, 14.00 and 15.00)
Kings Inch Road, , Renfrew,  PA4 8XQ
Description
Renfrew: Xscape - Image 1

Xscape Braehead opened in 2006 and in just over four years this 4 star visitor attraction has seen over 11 million visitors through its doors!  It contains over 30 businesses under one roof including the UK's longest indoor REAL snow slope and loads of other leisure activities, restaurants and shops.

Activities

For the first time ever Xscape is offering free behind the scenes tours of the Centre to give visitors the opportunity to gain some insight how this amazing venue runs. Tours are 12noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.  To book a tour please report to the ground floor centre atrium ( where all the restaurants are situated ) where a member of staff will deal with your booking.

Facilities
WC Disabled WC Disabled Access Refreshments Parking Events For Children 
Add To My List
Arlington Baths
New This Year
open/close
18.09.10 - 19.09.10 (10.00-16.00)
61 Arlington Street, Glasgow,  G3 6DT
Description
Arlington Baths - Image 1

Founded in 1870, Britain's oldest private swimming club is owned and run by its members.  It's our 140th birthday this autumn and to celebrate the fact, we are throwing the doors open to members of the public for the first time ever. 

There are bags of architectural details externally and internally of interest to anyone who enjoys the city's heritage. 

Activities

There will be guided tours of the building including behind the scenes look at how a 140 year old Baths Club actually runs.  Free history fact sheet.  Exhibition of old photographs which can also be seen on website www.arlingtonbaths.co.uk

Facilities
WC Refreshments Parking 
Add To My List
Britannia Panopticon Music Hall
open/close
18.09.10 (10.00-16.00) - 19.09.10 (11.00-16.00)
113-117 Trongate (enter from New Wynd to the west of Mitchell?s Amusements), Glasgow,  G1 5HD
Description
Britannia Panopticon Music Hall - Image 1

The oldest surviving music hall; famous as the stage on which Stan Laurel made his debut.  The auditorium is old and peeling and the social history literally seeps through its fabric.  Britannia Panopticon is a magical place where you can exchange the hustle of the 21st century for the bustles of the 19th. 

Activities

Exhibition of costume and early film - so nostalgic it would bring a tear to a glass eye!  Please note the building opens at 11.00 on a Sunday.

Image (c) www.scran.ac.uk

Facilities
WC Disabled WC Disabled Access Parking 
Add To My List
Hallmuir POW Chapel
open/close
25.09.10 - 26.09.10 (09.00-17.00)
Lockerbie
Description
Hallmuir POW Chapel - Image 1

This very rare chapel (probably the only one in Scotland) was built by Ukrainian Prisoners of War at Hallmuir Camp, who in 1947 were sent from Italy to Scotland rather than being handed over to the Russians and a potentially terrifying future. 

The basic building is a simple army hut clad with painted corrugated asbestos cement sheet but the chapel presents an authentic Ukrainian interior, complete with tinsel chandelier and is still in use by the Ukrainian community, who, since they were not able to return home after the war, stayed in Lockerbie and Lochmaben, found work in the area, married local girls and brought up their children to respect their traditions.

The building is Category B listed, and its unique value to Scottish and world history is increasingly recognised.  Pay a visit and enjoy a warm welcome which includes tea and biscuits, conversation and stories.

Activities

Directions:
From Lochmaben follow A709 towards Lockerbie and take the first right turn after the traffic lights on the river bridge. Bear left at the fork, continue to crossroads then turn right. Hallmuir Camp is almost immediately on your left. From Lockerbie town centre, go south to the Queen’s Roundabout and follow the signposts.

Facilities
WC Disabled Access Refreshments Parking 
Add To My List
Breadalbane Folklore Centre, Killin
open/close
18.09.10 - 19.09.10 (10.00-16.00)
Falls of Dochart, Killin,  FK21 8KE
Description
Breadalbane Folklore Centre, Killin - Image 1

The Breadalbane Folklore Centre is housed in what is known as St. Fillan’s Mill. St Fillan is believed to have founded a meal mill here in the 7th century. A later building became a woollen and tweed mill. You can see the legendary healing stones of St. Fillan.

The L-plan 3 storey mill serves as an important reminder of Killin’s industrial past. It is thought that the mill stopped weaving tweed in the 1950s. A new water wheel was installed in 2008. 

The mill is now also a VisitScotland Information Centre (www.visitscottishheartlands.com/)

Activities

Find out about the history and folklore of the area in a fascinating exhibition.

Facilities
Parking Events For Children Scottish Archaeology Month Event 
Add To My List
Away with the Faeries, Aberfoyle
New This Year
open/close
18.09.10 (13.30) - 18.09.10 (13.30)
Aberfoyle Car Park (behind Guyana) FK8 3UQ
Description
Away with the Faeries, Aberfoyle - Image 1

Instead of reading about the tale of Robert Kirk and the Faeries of Aberfoyle, come and experience it for yourself...

The art of storytelling is brought alive as your changeling guide leads you through the ruined church and up the faerie path, through twisted tress to visit the Minister's pine. 

Walk will take around two hours with guide and michievous pixies!

Contact Brenda Louw for more details or to book tel 01877 389302 chill@chilloutscotland.com www.chilloutscotland.com

Activities

Max people 20.  Suitable for children and adults.  Dogs welcome but to be kept on leads.

Facilities
WC Disabled WC Parking Events For Children 
Add To My List

2 
Displaying 1 - 10 of 11 results