Activities & Events in Dundee - Autumn/Winter 2014

activities &

The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum Broughty Castle Museum Mills Observatory The McManus Collections Unit

autumn\winter 2014-15

Mills Observatory Planetarium Shows

Dundee Astronomical Society Meetings

Take a tour of the night sky in the Observatory’s Planetarium Room and learn about constellations, asteroids and galaxies.

Admission £1 adults, 50p children.

Places are limited, so booking is essential on (01382) 435967. Activities are suitable for children aged 5yrs and over.

Dundee Astronomical Society and invited speakers present an informative programme of public talks. Weather permitting, members from the Society will also be on hand after each talk to help visitors view the night skies through the Observatory’s telescopes.

FREE event, no need to book, just drop in!

Please note, talks are not suitable for younger children. For information on Dundee Astronomical Society, visit www.dundeeastro.com

Fridays 2014 3 & 17 Oct, 7 & 21 Nov, 5 & 19 Dec Fridays 2015 Fri 16 Jan, 6 & 20 Feb, 6 & 20 Mar Shows at 7pm, 7.45pm, 8.30pm, 9.15pm

Activities for Children and Families

Astro Cart Available Daily Look out for our mobile Astro Cart, packed with activity sheets, art materials, games and books for you to use on your visit. Activities are designed to help children and their grown - ups learn together!

FREE event, no need to book, just drop in!

Fridays 2014 10 & 24 Oct, 14 & 28 Nov, 12 Dec Fridays 2015 9 & 23 Jan, 13 & 27 Feb, 13 & 27 Mar 7.30 - 10pm

Mills Observatory Winter Opening Hours

Mon to Fri 4 - 10pm Sat - Sun 12.30 - 4.30pm Admission FREE A small charge applies to the Planetarium Shows and some events.

Space Life!

Wed 12 Nov 6 - 7.30pm Ever wondered what it’s like to be an astronaut? What do they do in space, what do they eat and drink - and where do astronauts sleep? Join the Mills Observatory Team on an interactive mission to find out more about the lives of these intrepid space travellers! After the workshop there will also be an opportunity to explore the night skies through the Observatory’s telescope (weather permitting).

FREE event, but booking is essential on (01382) 435967. Activities are suitable for children aged 5-12yrs. Under 8’s must be accompanied by an adult.

Broughty Castle Museum Gallery Talks & Guided Tours Broughty Tales Wednesdays at 11am - 12noon If Broughty Castle could talk, what tales it could tell! Join us for ‘Broughty Tales’, a relaxed and informal programme of guided tours and gallery talks that explore the Museum’s fascinating displays.

Wed 15 Oct The Provost’s Collection Wed 19 Nov Centuries of Warfare Wed 10 Dec Over by Christmas

Activities for Children & Families Hiding in Plain Sight Thur 13 Nov 1 - 3pm Living along the seashore can be dangerous! Some creatures survive by hiding in the sand, whilst others can blend into the background or can disguise themselves. Come along and look at some of the creatures from the Museum collection and learn how to hide in plain sight.

FREE event, no need to book, just drop in!

Activities are suitable for children of all ages.

Wed 21 Jan Celebrating Mary Slessor

Wed 18 Mar Discover Broughty Castle Museum

Man and Boy and Boat, 1876 William McTaggart

FREE events, no need to book, just drop in!

Please note activities and events may be subject to change

Wed 18 Feb Winter Wildlife Migration

Talking Dundee: McManus Oral History Project

Talks & Tours

Talking Dundee Guided Tour Thur 9 Oct 1 - 2pm Share treasured memories of old Dundee in a lunchtime tour around our Social History Gallery, The Making of Modern Dundee. FREE event, no need to book, just drop in!

Thur 6 Nov The Mary Slessor Collection Thur 8 Jan Frank Brangwyn: Watercolours (1914-1918) Thur 12 Feb Ice Age Dundee Thur 12 Mar Meet the Romans

The Museum’s Oral History Project provides a living history of the City by capturing the memories and life experiences of the people who live, work and play in Dundee.

Remember When?

Tue 14 Oct 2 - 3pm Enjoy a guided tour of The Making of Modern Dundee Gallery, followed by a chance to reminisce and listen to audio clips from our Oral History archive and Libraries. FREE event. Booking essential on (01382) 307200.

Talking Dundee Tours & Workshops are available for Schools and Community Groups, for information contact the Creative Learning Team at creativelearning@leisureandculturedundee.com

Meet McManus Thursdays at 1pm Discover more about the Museum’s displays and exhibitions through our informative tours and gallery talks.

FREE event, no need to book, just drop in. Meet McManus Talks and Tours last approximately 30mins.

McManus Art Carts Available Daily Look out for our gallery Art Carts packed with activity sheets, clipboards and art materials designed to help families explore the Museum’s collections of objects and artworks. FREE event, no need to book, just drop in!

Dundee Arts Café McManus Café 6 - 7pm Dundee Arts Café is a great opportunity to hear about the latest research in the Arts from History to English, Education to Social Studies and Fine Art to Product Design.

Join us in the McManus Café for a short talk followed by an informal discussion.

Tuesdays 2 Sep, 7 Oct, 4 Nov, 2 Dec 2014 Tuesdays 3 Feb, 3 Mar, 21 Apr, 5 May, 2 June 2015 FREE event. No need to book, just drop in, but please arrive early to avoid disappointment.

McManus Café is open from 5pm and Talks begin at 6pm. www.dundeeartscafe.co.uk

Copper alloy and enamel dragonesque brooch Romano-British, AD 43-200 ©The Trustees of the British Museum

The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum

The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum Activities for Children & Families

Small Stories Mondays 6 & 13 Oct, 3 & 10 Nov, 8 & 15 Dec 2014 Mondays 12 & 19 Jan, 2 & 9 Feb, 2 & 9 Mar 2015 Sessions at 10.30 - 11am and 11.30am - 12noon Listen to local tales, sing, play and explore in these fun, interactive storytelling sessions for under 5’s and their grown-ups.

FREE event, no need to book, just drop in!

It’s Our World!

Wed 15 Oct and Thur 16 Oct 2 - 4pm Drop in and take part in our fun, artist-led drawing sessions to explore the wonderful world of The McManus!

FREE event, no need to book, just drop in!

Activities are suitable for all ages and abilities.

The National Campaign for Drawing’s Big Draw Festival runs throughout October, with over 1000 organisations across the UK and twenty other countries taking part.

For more information, visit www.campaignfordrawing.co.uk

Once Upon A Place A Story Adventure Sat 25 Oct Sessions at 10.30 - 11.30am, 12.30 - 1.30pm and 2 - 3pm Join the Blether-taygither storytellers on a journey full of stories, inspired by the Museum’s objects and artworks. FREE event, no need to book, just drop in! Activities are suitable for families and children of all ages.

Events Lantern Workshops Sat 8 Nov workshops at 11am, 1pm and 3pm Sun 9 Nov workshops at 12.30pm and 2.30pm Thur 13 Nov workshops at 11am, 1pm and 3pm As part of preparations for Dundee’s Christmas Light Night, the Museum’s Creative Learning Team are holding Lantern Making Workshops for families who would like to take part in this year’s Torchlight Procession.

FREE event, but booking essential on (01382) 307200.Workshops are designed for family members to work together, so at least one adult per group is advised. Under 8s must be accompanied by an adult.

Christmas Light Night at The McManus Fri 14 Nov 5 - 9pm Explore the beautiful galleries and listen to musical entertainment from local choirs.

Children and families can get creative with the Art Cart, visit The McManus Shop for quality gifts and unusual stocking fillers, or pop into the Café for mulled wine, and food on offer. The Café will also be serving refreshments to take away from the Museum’s terrace. Admission to the Museum is FREE, no need to book, just drop in! Last entry to galleries is at 8.45pm.

Our Foreign Skies: Schools & Community Group Week Mon 3 - Fri 7 Nov 10am - 5pm Explore the ‘science of seeing’… a new photographic display created by scientists from the University of Dundee’s College of Life Sciences.

Meet some of the scientists involved and get hands on with the tools we use to see the world - from microscopes to cameras to 3D glasses! FREE event, booking is required for some activities.

For information or to book a facilitated session, contact (01382) 307216 or creativelearning@leisureanculturedundee.com

Temporary Exhibitions at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum

Mars appeals to Vulcan Frank Brangwyn

Jeepers Creepers: The works of Eduardo Paolozzi from Dundee Collections until Sun 2 Nov 2014 A selection of work by Eduardo Paolozzi, arguably one of the most inventive artists of the 20 century, are on display.

Winter Works on Paper Sat 22 Nov - Sun 25 Jan 2015 In commemoration of World War I, our annual Winter Works on Paper is drawn from the City’s collection of sketches, posters and prints by artist Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956).

Exhibitions - opening times:

Mon to Sat 10am - 5pm, Sun 12.30 - 4.30pm Last entry is 15 minutes before gallery closing time. Admission Free

Roman Empire: Power & People A British Museum Tour Sat 24 Jan - Sun 10 May 2015 The McManus is this touring exhibition’s only Scottish venue!

This exhibition brings together over 160 stunning pieces from the British Museum, to explore the story of one of the most powerful empires the world has ever seen.

Alongside the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity see objects from Dundee’s Roman collections, as well as objects from the National Museum of Scotland, and Perth & Kinross Museum Service.

An exciting programme of activities and events accompanies the exhibition.

The exhibition is supported through the generosity of the Dorset Foundation, and has been developed in partnership between Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives and the British Museum.

Marble sculpture of a barbarian captive, Roman, about AD 160-170 ©The Trustees of the British Museum

A Silvered Light Scottish Art Photography from the City’s Permanent Collection until Sun 4 Jan 2015

The McManus Collections Unit Guided Tours

Behind the Scenes Wed 15 Oct, Thur 4 Dec 2014 Wed 18 Feb 2015 12.30 - 1.30pm Go ‘behind the scenes’ with our curators to find out more about the City’s fascinating collections of Archaeology, History, Natural History and World Cultures. FREE event, booking essential on (01382) 307200.

CU After Dark!

Thur 30 Oct 6 - 8pm Join us for a special torchlit tour of the Collections Unit for Halloween, highlighting some of the strange and spooky objects in the Museum collections! Tours run every 20 mins and last for about half an hour.

Tour times 6pm, 6.20pm, 6.40pm, 7pm, 7.20pm and 7.40pm. FREE event. Booking essential on (01382) 307200. Activities suitable for families with children aged 8 and over.

Workshops Events Polar Wildlife Sat 11 Oct 2 - 4pm A chance to see polar animal specimens from the Museum collection donated by whalers, scientists and explorers including Sir Ernest Shackleton. Curator Mike Sedakat reveals interesting facts about penguins, walruses and lemmings in this family-friendly FREE event. No need to book, just drop in! Activities are suitable for everyone.

Talking Dundee at The McManus Collections Unit Wed 22 Oct 2 - 3pm Explore everyday objects from the 20th century with Social History curator, Carly Cooper. Audio clips from the Oral History archive provide the perfect soundtrack as we celebrate old Dundee.

FREE event. Booking essential on (01382) 307200. Look out for the other Talking Dundee events at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum.

Polar Pictures Sat 11 Oct 10am - 12noon Take part in this year’s Big Draw Festival and join our artist-led workshop to create artwork inspired by polar animal specimens collected by Dundee whalers, scientists and explorers. FREE event, but booking essential on (01382) 307200. Activities are suitable for aged 16yrs and over.

The National Campaign for Drawing:The Big Draw Festival runs throughout October, with over 1000 organisations across the UK and twenty other countries taking part. For more information, visit www.campaignfordrawing.co.uk

Camouflage Sat 1 Nov 10am - 12.30pm Take part in our interactive Dundee Science Festival workshop to learn more about the different colours, shapes and patterns animals use to hunt or hide!

Create your own camouflage pattern inspired by specimens from the Museum’s Natural Sciences collections. FREE event, booking essential. Activities are suitable for children of all ages.

VENUES The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum

Albert Square @McManusDundee Meadowside Dundee McManusDundee DD1 1DA t 01382 307200 e themcmanus@leisureandculturedundee.com

Mills Observatory

Glamis Road @MillsObs Balgay Park Dundee MillsObservatory DD2 2UB t 01382 435967 e mills.observatory@leisureandculturedundee.com

Broughty Castle Museum

Castle Approach Broughty Ferry Dundee BroughtyCastleMuseum DD5 2TF t 01382 436916 e broughty@leisureandculturedundee.com

The McManus Collections Unit

Barrack Street @McManusDundee Dundee McManusDundee DD1 1PG t 01382 307200 e themcmanus@leisureandculturedundee.com