Green Home Festival to urge ‘Be Brave’

The organisers of this year’s Green Home Festival are urging homeowners and the construction industry to “be brave” and embrace innovations like microwave heating to help build a more sustainable future and meet net zero targets.

Scotland’s second renewables jamboree will kick off in less than two weeks, delivering 11 free shows on low-carbon living as part of the official Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

And organisers the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV) say its event on the potential of microwave heating is an example of a technology that could offer a real alternative to traditional fossil fuels – but only if we’re brave enough to embrace it.

Co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “Our upcoming show on microwave heating is the perfect demonstration of the bravery and innovative thinking that is needed by both the construction industry and homeowners if we are to build a sustainable future for Scotland.

“We know that we’ll need a combination of methods to meet both the retrofit challenge and the new-build heat standard and this new technology is one of the solutions that we should be having the courage to explore now.”

The microwave heating show will be delivered on the first day of the festival by Professor Sean Smith, Director of The Centre for Future Infrastructure and Professor of Future Construction within the School of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh (below).

Starting at 2pm on Monday 14 August, the event will focus on the origin of the new technology, how it works and how it could offer an alternative to traditional heating methods in our homes.

Mr Nelson went on: “It’s great for us to have this innovative solution explained this year as part of the Green Home Festival, and this technology could provide the rapid acceleration of low carbon heating for Scotland’s 1.2 million flats, given the short installation time and the fact that it links to existing radiators.

“We just need to be brave, adjust our mindsets and think outside the box when it comes to potential greener solutions like this.

“As well as microwaves, the Green Home Festival will also look at other innovations in home heating, such as hybrid systems, which combine new technology with traditional methods to reduce both costs and carbon footprint for the homeowner.

“And on a larger scale, we’ll be looking at the benefits of community heating networks and exploring how distributing heat to multiple buildings from a central source could do away with the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every building.

“All this activity is designed to start a conversation about renewable living and to encourage homeowners to start thinking differently about how they will power, heat and run their homes in the years to come.

“It will also help demonstrate how the CICV has its finger on the pulse of future solutions to meet the climate challenge and is determined to help steer the wider construction industry down a more sustainable path.”

Live Green Home Festival sessions will once again take place at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) at 10 Charlotte Square in central Edinburgh, with contributions from the likes of Home Energy ScotlandScottish WaterSNIPEF and SELECT.

Other topics covered at the Green Home Festival will include creating sustainable kitchensgreen garden rooms and officesmaking retrofit projects eco-friendlyconverting churches and how the home of the future will be powered.

Built Environment – Smarter Transformation will also host a webinar that will advise what consumers can do to reduce both their energy consumption and energy bills.

The festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.

  • Full details, including how to book tickets for each event, are available on the Festival’s website at greenhomefestival.co.uk.

National Museums Scotland listings

Exhibitions & displays 
    
National Museum of Scotland      
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF     
Open 10:00–17:00 daily    
 

Beyond the Little Black Dress  
Until 29 Oct 2023  
Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3  
Ticketed (concessions available)  

From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays.

Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White.  

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Beyond-the-Little-Black-Dress 

Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania  
12 Aug 2023 – 14 Apr 2024  
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3  
Free 

Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This urgent issue is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic. Rising Tide considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Rising-Tide  

Japanese Contemporary Design       
Until 30 Jul 2023        
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1       
Free entry        

From striking statement jewellery to prints and porcelain vases, this new free display considers how Japanese contemporary makers have combined innovative and traditional art, craft and design elements over the past five decades.   

The star object is Hitomi Hosono’s A Large Pine Tree Pool, a sculptural porcelain bowl with complex hand-carving made and acquired in 2019. Further highlights include Junko Mori’s intricate New Pinecone Silver Organism, and colourful body adornments by jeweller Suō Emiko’s adapted from metalworking and engraving techniques traditionally used in the making of Japanese sword fittings.       

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Japanese-Contemporary-Design  

Events  

National Museum of Scotland      
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF     
Open 10:00–17:00 daily    

Experts Radio Lab  
8 Aug – 24 Aug 
Various days and times  
Hawthornden Court  
Free, drop in 

Experts Radio Lab and the accompanying Listening Station is a free, drop-in experience, set within our pop-up radio studio at the National Museum of Scotland. Interviews are shared live to an audience of fellow interviewees, their families and anyone who’s curious. Share your expertise with us or come along and learn from the masters! You never know what you’ll learn. A production by Alice Mary Cooper and Company. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/experts-radio-lab 

Museum Late: Fringe Fridays  
11 Aug & 18 Aug  
19:30 – 22:30  
£16 – £22 

Fringe Fridays are back! Enjoy a unique flavour of the Fringe and explore the museum after hours. From comedy and cabaret to music and magic, handpicked performers will showcase highlights from their acts across two adults-only extravaganzas, alongside bars and entry to our summer exhibition, Beyond the Little Black Dress. Acts across the two nights include the Black Blues Brothers, Sunshine on Leith, Cirque Afrique and many more. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/museum-late-fringe-fridays 

BSL Access Evening: Beyond the Little Black Dress 
15 Aug  
18:00-19:30  
Standard exhibition entry prices apply  

Part of Edinburgh Deaf Festival, join us after hours for a Deaf-led BSL tour of key objects in the Beyond the Little Black Dress exhibition. 

From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. The tour will last around one hour with the chance to explore the exhibition independently afterwards.   

Book now nms.ac.uk/bsl-access-evening-beyond-the-little-black-dress 

Morning Curator Tour: Rising Tide  
16 – 24 Aug  
09:15-10:00 (doors open at 09:00) 
Ticketed

Join curator Dr Ali Clark for an exclusive morning tour of our Rising Tide exhibition, delving nto the stories behind the exhibition and explore the innovative and artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists. Add a voucher to upgrade your experience with refreshments in one of our museum cafés.

Book now nms.ac.uk/morning-curator-tour-rising-tide  

Adult Workshop: Introduction to Fashion Illustration  
09 Sep 
11:00 – 16:00 
Studios, Level 4 
Age 18+  
£45 – £50

Learn the fundamentals of fashion illustration in this drawing class with illustrator, Katie Braid. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/fashion-illustration 

Audio-Described Access Evening: Beyond the Little Black Dress  
12 Sep  
17:30 – 19:00  
Special Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 
Age 8+  

Explore the Beyond the Little Black Dress exhibition supported by an audio-described tour of key objects, for those who are blind, partially sighted or visually impaired. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/audio-described-access-evening  

Film Screening: Fashion Reimagined  
16 Sep  
14:00 – 16:30  
Auditorium, Level 1 
Tickets £6 – £10 
Age 14+ 

Join us for a screening of this 2022 documentary film following fashion designer Amy Powney of cult label Mother of Pearl, a rising star in the London fashion scene.   Documentary Fashion Reimagined follows designer Amy Powney as she embarks on a three-year journey to create a sustainable clothing collection and transform the way we engage with fashion. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/fashion-reimagined  

National Museum of Flight   
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF 
Open daily 10:00 – 16:00 

Big Build Weekend  
26 & 27 Aug 
10:30 –16:30 
Free with museum admission

Inspired by our current Brick History display, take part in our mass participation Big Build alongside LEGO experts Warren and Teresa Elsmore. You will be building part of a 3-metre-tall Saturn V rocket, the only launch vehicle to carry humans beyond low earth orbit to the moon, which will then become part of the Brick History display until November.   

Book now nms.ac.uk/big-build-weekend.

Brick Sundays  
3 – 17 Sep  
12:00 – 16:00 
Free with museum admission  

Inspired by our current Brick History display, each Sunday we will have a different build theme. Choose to make something inspired by the theme or build your own creation. For something a bit more energetic, take part in our speed build challenge and see if you can make it to the top of the champions’ board. 

Book your visit nms.ac.uk/brick-sundays  

Conservation Hangar Tours 
Until 31 Mar 2024  
Free with museum admission  
Booking required  

See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/Conservation-Hangar-Tours  

National Museum of Rural Life    
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR   
Open 10:00–17:00 daily 

Nature Track Packs  
Until 31 Aug  
10:00 – 17:00 
Borrow from the ticket desk 
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass  

Explore more at the National Museum of Rural Life this summer with our Nature Track Packs. Each pack contains fun ideas and activities to encourage children to engage all their senses to explore the countryside on a walk up to the farm. 

Read more nms.ac.uk/nature-track-packs 

MooFest  
16 & 17 Sep 
10:20 – 15:30  
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass  

Join us for a celebration of all things cattle at the National Museum of Rural Life.New for 2023, this weekend of cattle-inspired activities, talks and tastings for young and old alike. 

Book your visit now nms.ac.uk/moofest 

Lewis’s Scottish Adventure Trail  
Until 6 Oct 2023  
Trail  
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass 

Go on an adventure around the museum with a new family trail at the National Museum of Rural Life.  

Find out more nms.ac.uk/lewis-s-scottish-adventure-trail 

Follow us on Twitter…twitter.com/NtlMuseumsScot   

Follow us on Facebook…facebook.com/NationalMuseumsScotland   

Follow us on Instagram…instagram.com/nationalmuseumsscotland/   

For booking, opening times and location details, contact National Museums Scotland on 0300 123 6789   

Spread your wings this summer with the National Trust for Scotland

Conservation charity reveals the epic three-month journey of Mar’verick, the rare white-tailed eagle which hatched at Aberdeenshire’s Mar Lodge Estate before journeying across Scotland

Adventure, fun and exploring new places is the order of the summer at the National Trust for Scotland, with Mar’verick, the rare white-tailed eagle, taking members, visitors and other supporters in Edinburgh under his wing.

Mar’verick, born at Aberdeenshire’s Mar Lodge Estate and named after Maverick, the iconic fighter pilot in the film Top Gun, has been closely monitored since birth as part of the RSPB Scotland’s East Scotland Sea Eagle introduction project, allowing the National Trust for Scotland and the RSPB to form a map documenting his travels around the country.

Until 2020 white-tailed eagles had not been bred successfully in Deeside, making it even more special to have this rare raptor species nesting at Mar Lodge Estate.

The National Trust for Scotland hopes that not only will this unique tracking data help experts to monitor the growth of Scotland’s white-tailed eagle population – which is an endangered species – but also inspire people to follow the adventures of Mar’verick around Scotland this summer.

Data provided by RSPB Scotland shows the eagle has travelled from Mar Lodge Estate in Aberdeenshire up across the north of Scotland and all the way down to the isle of Arran, between January and April 2023. In just a three-month period, Mar’verick visited over 20 Trust places.

Mar’verick’s adventures and visits have inspired the conservation charity to call on the people of Edinburgh and the surrounds to follow his example and support its work to protect, share and enjoy nature, beauty and heritage this summer, by visiting some of the most unique and special places in Scotland.

In Edinburgh this summer, visitors can experience a range of activities for all ages across Newhailes, Georgian House, Gladstone’s Land, Inveresk Lodge Garden and Malleny Garden. Moving further afield, the House of the Binns near Linlithgow is hosting a Young Historians at the Binns tour, specifically created for children aged four to 11 years old, on Saturday 8 July.

The popular Doghailes and Carhailes events are back at Newhailes on 30 July and 27 August respectively, offering a fun-filled day out for canine and car lovers. The Georgian House, in the heart of the city centre, recently opened a new exhibition on Raeburn’s Edinburgh, giving new perspectives on the life and work of one of Scotland’s most prolific artists and the city and times he lived in, running throughout the summer months.

Meanwhile, visitors to Gladstone’s Land, the Royal Mile, can take part in a range of tours – from Tables Through Time, which is focused around food, through to an Intimate Lives tour, telling tales of the history of desire in Edinburgh’s old town. Throughout the summer period, visitors can cool off by enjoying an ice cream or a cold drink in the café that was inspired by the building’s rich trading history.

Stuart Maxwell, Regional Director for Edinburgh and the East at the National Trust for Scotland, said“The summer months are upon us and it is fantastic to see so many supporters, visitors and members enjoying our places.

“It is our charity’s privilege to share Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage with everyone, and we are very grateful to all of our supporters who make this possible. By being part of the National Trust for Scotland, and visiting our places, you are helping protect, share and enjoy the outdoor spaces and incredible historic buildings where memories are made.

“Over the coming months, we have some exciting projects coming to fruition which will give our supporters even more experiences to share this summer. Mar’verick has proven himself to be the Trust’s number one adventurer, visiting over 20 places since the beginning of this year. 

“With a place for every interest, age and passion, we can’t wait to see people rise to Mar’verick’s challenge and see how many Trust places they can visit over the coming months. Through the careful conservation work the Trust is doing across Scotland to restore natural habitats and create the right environments for wildlife to flourish, the charity’s places are home to a wide range of thriving wildlife and continue to welcome new species, such as hen harriers and white-tailed eagles.”

Following the launch of its 10-year strategy, Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone, in March last year, the National Trust for Scotland has focused on caring for Scotland’s special places, providing access and enjoyment and being a sustainable charity, including the restoration and reopening of House of the Binns, creating visitor facilities at Corrieshalloch National Nature Reserve, and unveiling an innovative new garden at Pitmedden which is adapted for a changing climate.

This work is possible thanks to the support of members and donors. To support the conservation charity’s work to care for Scotland’s special places, become a member at www.nts.org.uk.  Prices start from £3.20 for those aged 16 to 24, £5.50 for adults and £4.85 per month for those aged 60 and over.

For more information on the National Trust for Scotland, or the events taking place in your area, visit: www.nts.org.uk.

TV presenter to turn up the heat at Green Home Festival

Award-winning influencer will turn up the heat on ‘fast fashion’ and urge homeowners to be more eco-friendly as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe

TV presenter and award-winning designer Anna Campbell-Jones will urge Scotland’s homeowners to make their kitchens green as well as clean in a special stage show as part of this year’s Edinburgh Festival.

The Scotland’s Home of the Year judge has been announced as the star guest at the second Green Home Festival, which is being held in Edinburgh as part of this year’s official Fringe.

Running from 14-18 August, and organised by the Construction Industry Collective Voice (CICV), the festival will deliver 11 free in-person and virtual shows to help consumers along the road to low-carbon living.

Anna will take centre stage on the first day of the week-long renewables jamboree in a show entitled Ingredients for a Greener Kitchen, dismissing the trend for ‘fast fashion’ and encouraging homeowners to make their cooking spaces more eco-friendly instead.

The renowned interior designer said: “I am delighted to be taking part in this year’s Green Home Festival and help raise the profile of eco-friendly living for consumers across Scotland.

“Finding greener ways of designing, decorating and renewing our homes will be vital for us all going forward and creating more low-carbon kitchens will be a key part of that.

“In particular, I feel passionately that the era of ‘fast fashion’ for interiors must come to an end. Kitchens are a significant contributor to unrecyclable landfill and I’m going to talk about alternative approaches to the concept of what we mean by ‘getting a new kitchen’.”

Anna starred in the grand finale of Scotland’s Home of the Year last Monday night (26 JUNE) and also won the interiors and design award at the inaugural Scottish Influencer Awards in Glasgow in October 2022.

She will now share a stage alongside experts from Scottish Water, plumbing body SNIPEF, electrical trade association SELECT and James Alan Construction, who will share their first-hand knowledge and advice on what to consider when planning and renovating a kitchen.

Festival co-organiser Gordon Nelson, Scotland Director of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said: “We are delighted to welcome Anna to this year’s Green Home Festival and look forward to hearing her invaluable input and expertise on greener living.

“Like all our shows, Ingredients for a Greener Kitchen will deliver a wealth of practical advice, focusing on the vital areas that can make kitchens eco-friendly – water efficiency, electrical efficiency and sustainably sourced materials and units.”

Other topics at the Green Home Festival include green garden rooms and officesmaking retrofit projects eco-friendlythe potential of microwave heatingconverting churches and how the home of the future will be powered.

The event will also include a dedicated heat pump day, with two separate shows on how to reduce bills, access grants and install the technology, as well as options for hybrid heating.

Plus the experts from Built Environment – Smarter Transformation will host an in-person show on the advantages of community heat networks and an online webinar that will advise what consumers can do to reduce both their energy consumption and energy bills.

Mr Nelson added: “With all the events now confirmed, the second Green Home Festival is shaping up to be as big a success as last year’s inaugural event.

“With a strong focus on accessing funding and saving money, our experts will offer practical demonstrations of low-carbon technology that consumers can put into action as we move towards becoming a net zero nation.”

The Green Home Festival is the latest in a string of practical and constructive initiatives launched by the CICV since its creation as the Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum in March 2020.

Made up of 28 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, it has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and maintaining close dialogue with Scottish Government ministers.

  • Tickets for all Green Home Festival events are free and can be reserved here. The series finale of Scotland’s Home of the Year can be viewed again here.

UCI Cycling World Championships: Community Engagement Sessions

Men’s Elite Road Race comes to Edinburgh on 6th August

In advance of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships the organisers are hosting two community engagement sessions at Stockbridge Library and Edinburgh Central Library on July 13 for residents to find out how the August 6 event will impact them 🚴

Full details here: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/…/uci-world-cycling…

Aegon continues support for Pride Edinburgh and Fife Pride 2023

ST JAMES QUARTER CELEBRATES PRIDE WITH DAZZLING DRAG QUEEN APPEARANCES

Aegon UK and Aegon Asset Management are pleased to announce that they’ll be sponsoring this year’s Pride Edinburgh and Fife Pride festivals. It will be Aegon’s sixth year sponsoring Pride Edinburgh and the third time sponsoring Fife Pride. 

Pride Edinburgh is Scotland’s national and longest running LGBTQIA+ festival. It returns to full form on Saturday 24 June after a scaled-back event in 2022 due to Covid-19. It will consist of various activities and inclusive events to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, including a march through the city centre starting at the Scottish Parliament and finishing with a music festival at Bristo Square. 

Aegon is also sponsoring the Pride Edinburgh’s Ride with Pride bus for the second year running. The bus is designed to provide better accessibility to everyone to join in with the official march.1 

Fife Pride is also set to return for its sixth year, on 1st July in Kirkcaldy. In 2022 around 2,000 LGBTQIA+ people and allies of the community celebrated following a two-year absence. 

As sponsors, Aegon colleagues will be at both events to engage with attendees about the business, how it celebrates inclusivity and diversity, as well as about its sustainability initiatives.  

Andy Manson, Chief Marketing Officer at Aegon UK, said: “It gives us immense pleasure to support and attend these two fantastic events again this year.

“We’re an organisation passionate about creating a working environment that celebrates all forms of diversity and individuality, and our ongoing support of Pride events is just one of the many ways Aegon engages with our local communities.” 

GLITZ, GLAMOUR, AND FABULOUSNESS: ST JAMES QUARTER CELEBRATES PRIDE WITH DAZZLING DRAG QUEEN APPEARANCES

St James Quarter, Edinburgh’s premier destination to shop, dine, play and stay, will be supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies with a day filled with Pride celebrations on Saturday the 24th of June.

Kicking off at 11am, St James Quarter will be joined by dynamic duo Drag Queens, Sissy Scorpio and Rozie Cheeks, extending a warm welcome to guests. Dazzling everyone with their mesmerising dance moves, they will strike poses for iconic selfies and give rainbow flags to guests.

St James Quarter is also running a pride-tastic giveaway, guests can win a £500 gift card, redeemable in the Quarter, if they download the St James Quarter app over the Pride weekend.

The celebrations don’t end there. At 3pm, guests can join the pride party as the sensational DJ Trendy Wendy takes to the decks on Level 3 bringing a pride setlist like no other. With her signature mix of disco, soul and funk music, this will be a loud and proud party you won’t want to miss.

From 11am – 3pm on Level 1, all guests can take advantage of free face painting, whether they’re joining Edinburgh’s ‘March with Pride’ event, celebrating Pride Month, or simply looking to add some fun and colour to their day.

Brands across the Quarter are also embracing Pride Month with their own special edition Pride collections and displays including Hollister, Coach and Hotel Chocolat, Boots is hosting a series of fun beauty masterclasses on 24th June, complete with live entertainment, and Everyman is screening Pride favourites, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Priscilla Queen of the Desert over the weekend.

Bross Bagels is proudly offering its fabulous rainbow bagels throughout Pride weekend, in association with LGBT Youth Scotland. These vibrant treats can be matched with any filling, creating a delightful experience for everyone to savour.

Pride St James Quarter 1 SA : Pride – St James Quarter All images © Stewart Attwood Photography 2023. All other rights are reserved. Use in any other context is expressly prohibited without prior permission. No Syndication Permitted except for PA (Press Association)

Susan Hewlett, Brand & Marketing Director, St James Quarter, said: “We have a fun packed day planned for Edinburgh Pride.

“Our Guest Services team will be joined by the inimitable Sissy Scorpio and Rozy Cheeks, two of Scotland’s leading Drag Queens, bringing a whole new vibe to our Brand Ambassador team with live voguing and iconic dance moves.

“Guests are invited to join in, grab a selfie or strike their own pose. We will also have glitter face painting for all, the chance to win a St James Quarter gift card and to close the days party atmosphere the supremely talented DJ Trendy Wendy will be filling the Quarter with the best Pride anthems from 3pm – 7pm.

“We are incredibly proud to be associated with this event, it supports our commitment to promoting diversity and equality and we invite everyone to join us in this momentous celebration of pride, acceptance, and unity.”

For further information and updates on the Pride event at St James Quarter, please visit:

https://stjamesquarter.com/event/celebrating-pride-edinburgh-at-st-james-quarter

To keep up to date with the latest news and events, download the St James Quarter app here.

Tomorrow: Granton Summer Festival

The weather forecast is looking good for the Summer Festival tomorrow at Granton Parish Church from 10am – 4pm.

Food all day from breakfast rolls in the morning, soup at lunchtime and finishing off with a burger BBQ at 3pm. Music from Granton Youth and Ukranian folk singers

Food available all day breakfast rolls in the morning, soup at lunchtime and finishing off with a burger BBQ at 3pm.

• LIVE MUSIC FROM GRANTON YOUTH MUSIC & UKRANIAN MUSIC GROUP

• Children’s crafts

• games and activities

• Craft stalls

• sewing workshop

• Quiet spaces to chill out

• FUN for the whole family

What’s On at National Museums of Scotland

Exhibitions & displays     
    
National Museum of Scotland      
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF     
Open 10:00–17:00 daily    

The Declaration of Arbroath  
3 Jun – 2 Jul 2023  
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3        
Free entry        

The Declaration of Arbroath is a letter dated 6 April 1320 written by the barons and freeholders of the Kingdom of Scotland to Pope John XXII. The letter asked the pope to recognise Scotland’s independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see one of the most famous documents in Scottish history – the Declaration of Arbroath. 

Find our more nms.ac.uk/The-Declaration-of-Arbroath 


Beyond the Little Black Dress  
1 Jul – 29 Oct 2023  
Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3  
Ticketed (concessions available)  

From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion.

The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays. Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White.  

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Beyond-the-Little-Black-Dress 

Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania  
12 Aug 2023 – 14 Apr 2024  
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3  
Free  

Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth. This urgent issue is felt especially deeply in Australia and the Pacific Islands where sea levels are rising due to climate change and the oceans are filling with plastic. Rising Tide considers our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary artistic responses to climate change and plastic waste by Indigenous Australian and Pacific Islander artists. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Rising-Tide  

Japanese Contemporary Design    
Until 30 Jul 2023        
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1       
Free entry
   
From striking statement jewellery to prints and porcelain vases, this new free display considers how Japanese contemporary makers have combined innovative and traditional art, craft and design elements over the past five decades.   

The star object is Hitomi Hosono’s A Large Pine Tree Pool, a sculptural porcelain bowl with complex hand-carving made and acquired in 2019. Further highlights include Junko Mori’s intricate New Pinecone Silver Organism, and colourful body adornments by jeweller Suō Emiko’s adapted from metalworking and engraving techniques traditionally used in the making of Japanese sword fittings.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Japanese-Contemporary-Design  

Events

National Museum of Scotland      
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF     
Open 10:00–17:00 daily    

Edinburgh International Children’s Festival Family Encounters Day  
27 May 2023  
10:00 – 16:30  
Grand Gallery (and beyond)  
Free, some performances may require sign up on the day 

Join us as we kick off the 2023 Edinburgh International Children’s Festival with Family Encounters – a day of free pop-up performances, artist interventions and activities for the whole family. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Edinburgh-International-Children’s-Festival-Family-Encounters-Day 

Insect Week  
19 – 24 Jun 2023 
Various dates and times  

Join us for a bug bonanza with a range of interesting insect activities and resources.  

Find out more nms.ac.uk/insect-week 

The Declaration of Arbroath: Insights from the Archives  
20 Jun 2023 
14:00 –15:00 
Auditorium  
Adult/Over 60: £3 
Member/Student/Concession: £2   

Inspired by a rare chance to see The Declaration of Arbroath, curator Dr Alice Blackwell and National Records Scotland conservator, Hazel de Vere, discuss its historical significance and material fragility. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/Insights-from-the-archives  

Discovering Decorative Arts at the National Museum of Scotland  
Until 22 Jun 2023  
11:00-13:00 
In the museum galleries 
£155 for 10 sessions (concessions available)  

National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses including this ten-week course that will introduce the magnificent arts collections within the National Museum of Scotland. Exploring the historical developments of decorative arts and how they have influenced modern methods and techniques used to create many beautiful objects on display in the museum.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/Decorative-Arts 

Concert for a Summer’s Night  
22 Jun 2023  
20:00 – 21:15 (doors open 19:15) 
£9-£19 (includes welcome drink)  

The Scottish Ensemble’s Concert for a Summer’s Night series is back at the National Museum of Scotland after sell-out performances at venues around Scotland in 2022. Join us for a musical journey that takes in the well-loved (Debussy’s serene Clair de Lune) and the less expected (including music from jazz legend Chick Corea), introductions from the stage and a chance to chat to musicians afterwards. A perfect way to celebrate summer. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/concert-for-a-summers-night  

National Museum of Flight   
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF 
Open daily 10:00 – 16:00 

Conservation Hangar Tours 
Until 31 Mar 2024  
Free with museum admission  
Booking required  

See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/Conservation-Hangar-Tours  

Operation Sabotage 
3 & 4 Jun 2023
Age 14+ event    
Ticketed    

The year is 1942 and you are stationed at the RAF base at East Fortune. There has been an act of sabotage and one of the aircraft is unknowingly carrying live ordnance with instructions to bomb the town. Solve a series of fiendish puzzles to call off the flight and save North Berwick!

Operation Sabotage is an escape room experience for 4-8 people that lasts up to an hour. Working together as a team, you must race against the clock in two Second World War-themed rooms to decipher the identity of the saboteur before it’s too late.   

Book now nms.ac.uk/Operation-Sabotage  

Awesome Bricks  
17 & 18 Jun  
10:00 – 17:00 
Ticketed  
Advance book required  

Our hands-on celebration of all things LEGO is back with a wealth of things to see and do. Get a close-up view of incredible LEGO constructions, including an interactive train set, and make your own unique creations in our blue brick build zone.

Book now nms.ac.uk/Awesome-Bricks 

National Museum of Rural Life    
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR   
Open 10:00–17:00 daily 

Lewis’s Scottish Adventure Trail  
27 May – 6 Oct 2023  
Trail  
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass  

Go on an adventure around the museum with a new family trail at the National Museum of Rural Life.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/lewis-s-scottish-adventure-trail 

Nature Track Packs  
24 Jun – 31 Aug  
10:00 – 17:00 
Borrow from the ticket desk 
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass    

Explore more at the National Museum of Rural Life this summer with our Nature Track Packs. Each pack contains fun ideas and activities to encourage children to engage all their senses to explore the countryside on a walk up to the farm. 

Read more nms.ac.uk/nature-track-packs 

Follow us on Twitter…twitter.com/NtlMuseumsScot   

Follow us on Facebook…facebook.com/NationalMuseumsScotland   

Follow us on Instagram…instagram.com/nationalmuseumsscotland/   

For booking, opening times and location details, contact National Museums Scotland on 0300 123 6789 

It’s Newhaven Gala Day!

Everyone is welcome to join us on this fun family day!

Gala Queen, Rosie Cruikshank, and Fisher King, Thom Pryde, with their entourage, will arrive by boat in Newhaven Harbour around 11:00 am and make their way up to The Heart of Newhaven where they will be crowned by Newhaven Heritage’s Dougie Ratcliffe.

Victoria Primary P1 and P7 children will be at the harbour to meet our Gala Queen and Fisher King wearing traditional costumes.

Our theme for the Gala this year will be pirates and everyone is welcome to dress up and join the procession from Newhaven Harbour to The Heart of Newhaven (dressing up is optional).

After the coronation, there will be games and stalls, hot food and ice cream, as well as tea and coffee.