Busiest ever Doors Open Days for Dundee

Published On Wed 10 Sep 2014 by Grant Hill

Dundee is set for its busiest ever Doors Open Days this weekend when a record 40 buildings welcome visitors.

The organisers of one of Dundee’s biggest annual community celebrations have reported unprecedented interest in this year’s event and believe more visitors than ever will flock to some of the city’s most-loved buildings and discover their best-kept secrets.

On Saturday 13^th and Sunday 14^th September, hundreds of people will be allowed to access all areas at venues not normally open to the public as well as taking part in events, tours and talks for all ages.

Doors Open Days in Dundee is organised by the University of Dundee’s public outreach team, and 10 buildings across campus will welcome visitors as part of the programme.

Dr Jon Urch, Public Outreach Coordinator at the University, said, “This year, more buildings across the city are opening their doors than ever before and there has been an unprecedented interest from members of the public.

“We have had to reprint our programme brochure due to the volume of requests we have received and we are sure this will translate into our highest ever visitor numbers. There is something to suit every taste and interest and. With 14 of this year’s venues being new to the programme this is the most in-depth Doors Open Days to take place in Dundee. Some of the tours fill up quickly so it is advisable to book in advance.”

One of the buildings creating the most interest amongst the public is the Old Steeple in Nethergate, where visitors will be able to drop in to the ground floor to see an amazing collection of Medieval Grave Stones, meet curators from The McManus: Dundee’s Museum & Gallery to find out more about the objects, and climb the Steeple itself on an informative guided tour.

Fire stations, places of worship, theatres, art centres, community centres and other landmarks will once again throw their doors open, while other venues taking participating for the first time include the recently opened Dundee Museum of Transport and District 10, the sustainable office building made of shipping containers providing work space for start-up creative industry companies.

Doors Open Days is coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust. It runs throughout Scotland every September as part of European Heritage Days, and gives people free access to buildings they normally wouldn’t visit as well as organising special events at public buildings while celebrating architecture in all its forms - from the very ancient to ultra-modern, well-loved to little-known.

For more information, please visit www.doorsopendays.org.uk.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277