40 buildings taking part / guided tours by local experts / exhibitions / music / activities for children / refreshments PERTH & KINROSS FREE Saturday and Sunday 24th - 25th September www.doorsopendays.org.uk Doors Open Symbol Key Wheelchair Access Days 2016 (including access to disabled toilet facilities) Doors Open Days is an annual event Assisted Wheelchair Access that gives you the opportunity to visit historic, civic and interesting WC Toilets buildings not usually open to the public, all for free. Refreshments Each programme entry provides you with a brief description of the building, when it is open and what’s happening on Doors Open Days. WELCOME In Perth and Kinross, Doors Open Symbols are used to show access and Days is organised by Perth and Kinross facilities available at each building. Heritage Trust and funded by the Maps showing the general location Gannochy Trust. of buildings can be found at the back of programme. Look out for the blue Thanks are due to the custodians and banners and balloons at buildings. owners of the buildings and everyone You may need to book some events in who contributes to Doors Open Days advance. To avoid disappointment, for their enthusiastic and voluntary book early! Bookings close at 5pm participation. on Thursday 22nd of September. Doors Open Days takes place For all Perth and Kinross Doors Open throughout Scotland in September Days enquires - please contact and is co-ordinated nationally Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust: by the Scottish Civic Trust as 01738 477082 / [email protected] / part of European Heritage Days. The Lodge, 4 York Place, Perth, For full details of the festival, visit PH2 8EP. www.doorsopendays.org.uk This programme can be downloaded from www.pkht.org.uk Front cover: Studios and Residence, 5 Melville Street, Perth © PKHT / Bart Masiukiewicz 2 | DOORS OPEN DAYS 2016 The landscape that inspired Geddes’ ‘Valley Section’ © Sarah Winlow 1. A Botanist looks at the World, Perth 3. Behind the Scenes, Perth Museum and Museum and Art Gallery, Art Gallery George Street Perth Museum and Art Gallery is home to more 2016 is the Year of Innovation, Architecture and than half a million local, national and international Design and to celebrate Perth Museum and Art objects, and a changing programme of exhibitions Gallery is hosting an exhibition of the life and and events showcases the very best of their work of one of Perth’s most famous sons. Patrick Recognised Collection of National Significance Geddes (1854-1932) was an influential thinker and to Scotland. Come along on Doors Open Days polymath who worked in the worlds of geography, Saturday for a Behind the Scenes tour of the town planning, biology, sociology, art and drama. museum’s collections. View the exhibition with Fergus Purdie RSA, local Saturday 13:00 – 16:00; guided tours architect and curator of the Geddes’ exhibition, on (30 minutes long) on the hour Doors Open Days Sunday. Sunday between 16:00 – 16:30 and 16:30 – 17:00 Booking essential – to book a ticket please visit www.EventBrite.co.uk. WC Maximum of 10 places per tour WC 2. The Library Room, Perth Museum and 4. The Fair Maid’s House, North Port Art Gallery The Fair Maid’s House, the oldest secular building An opportunity to visit the Library Room of the in Perth, is home to the visitor centre of the Royal Perthshire Society of Natural Science, housed in Scottish Geographical Society. Learn about the Perth Museum and Art Gallery since the 1930s. The geography and history of Perth; topical issues Society was founded in 1867 to encourage research of worldwide geography; and explore some of and to establish a museum for their collections. our books and collections in the Explorer’s Room For Doors Open Days, there will be a display of upstairs. Special for Doors Open Days in the Year items from the museum collections which have a of Innovation, Architecture and Design, come connection with the Society and provide interesting admire a medley of inspiring maps and plans with insights into the Society, past and present. an architectural theme from a number of places Saturday and Sunday 11:00 – 16:00 around Scotland. WC Saturday 13:00 – 16:30 The PSNS Library © Perth Museum and Art Gallery WC Home of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society © RSGS DOORS OPEN DAYS 2016 | 3 Carillon bells in St John’s Kirk tower © PKHT / Bart Masiukiewicz 5. St John’s Kirk, 31 St John’s Place 6. St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street The development of Perth can be traced through the history of the Kirk beginning in 1128. Its ancient St John’s was completed in 1851 and over two stones date from the mid-15th century, the tower phases between 2011 and 2014 was sensitively and spire from the beginning of the 16th. The 1920s reordered internally. This work included paving the gave us the beautifully carved oak fittings and Sanctuary with slabs of stone from the Holy Land, all the War Memorial. The brightly coloured stained part of creating a light and welcoming building glass windows were installed throughout the 20th appropriate for worship in the 21st century. The century. The more recent renovations have allowed church will be decorated for Harvest Thanksgiving the Kirk to be used as a comfortable yet intimate and there will be music, talks, refreshments and venue for concerts although its primary use remains activities for all throughout day including quizzes as a place of worship. for adults and children to identify the architectural features of the church. Saturday 10:00 – 16:00 Guided tours at 11:00 and 12:00; tower tours Saturday 10:00 – 16:00 between 14:00 and 16:00. WC There is no disabled access to tower WC St John’s Episcopal Church © PKHT / Bart Masiukiewicz 4 | DOORS OPEN DAYS 2016 7. Greyfriars Burial Ground, Canal Street 9. Bowerswell House, Bowerswell Road Greyfriars became the burgh’s burial ground in 1580 Mid-19th century Italinate villa and home of Effie because St John’s kirkyard was full. It had previously Gray, whose marriage to Ruskin and friendship with been the site of the Franciscan Friary, founded by the Pre-Raphaelite artists was much talked about at 1496 and dissolved in 1559. The earliest surviving the time. It is not clear who designed Bowerswell for monument is the Buchan stone (1580), but many George Gray; it has been attributed to the architect stones were removed in 1652 to build Cromwell’s David Bryce but was probably the work of his pupil Citadel on the South Inch. There is a fine group of Andrew Heiton Jr, from Inchture and who would go 18th century stones, with traditional winged souls, on to become City Architect of Perth in the 1850s. hourglasses and skulls and crossbones. On this The house was purchased in 1946 and converted Doors Open Days tour, led by David Bowler, Director into a retirement home as a WWII memorial for of Alder Archaeology Ltd, we shall try to understand Perth. how the stones and their symbols show changing Saturday 13:00 – 16:00 tastes and hopes, and record life and death in the Limited parking available early modern burgh. Saturday 12:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 15:00 The tours start at St John’s Episcopal Church on 10. Durn, Isla Road Princes Street Built around 1880 for Surgeon Major Frederick Robert Wilson of the 57th Brigade, Durn originally comprised the three main roofs in the centre of the 8. The Fergusson Gallery, Marshall Place present building. Acquired by the Pullars in 1890, numerous extensions and a stint in the ownership The Fergusson Gallery is home to the collection of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve preceded of Scottish colourist JD Fergusson and his lifelong its purchase by Bell Ingram land and estate agents partner Margaret Morris. Come along on Doors as their headquarters in 1962. Bell Ingram invites Open Days for a Behind the Scenes tour of the art visitors to explore this beautiful building and store. enjoy its commanding views over the Tay. Enjoy Saturday 13:00 – 16:00; guided tours refreshments on the balcony or play croquet on (30 minutes long) on the hour the lawn while learning more about Durn’s history. Booking essential – to book a ticket please visit Guided tours will be provided. www.EventBrite.co.uk. Saturday 10:00 – 16:00 Maximum of 10 places per tour WC WC Durn across the Tay from the North Inch © PKHT DOORS OPEN DAYS 2016 | 5 11. Studios and Residence, 13. A K Bell Library, 2-8 York Place 5 Melville Street The flagship library for Perth and Kinross, the A K Bell The studios and residence at 5 Melville Street Library opened in 1994, but parts of the building are combine studios for an artist and an architect with much older. Our Behind the Scenes and Treasures workshops and living space. The building presents tours offer the opportunity to visit some areas not a tall minimalist facade to the street with a single normally open to the public and see some of the ‘civic window’ or ‘cabinet’ which houses a series special collections not kept on the open shelves, of invited art works and installations. Significant including a rare chance to see behind the scenes in artwork is also exhibited within the building on all the Council Archive. levels. The elderly back land workshops at the rear Saturday 09:30 – 13:00 of the site have been renovated and updated as an The tours will run between 09:30 and 13:00 – integral piece of such a progressive regenerative booking is essential.