Old Steeple provides birds eye view of buildings set to open doors
Published On Fri 1 Aug 2014 by Grant Hill
The organisers of one of Dundee’s biggest annual community celebrations will next week climb to the top of one of Dundee’s best-known landmarks for a panoramic view of the dozens of building set to open their doors to the public in September.
Doors Open Days 2014 takes place on the weekend of 13th and 14th September. Hundreds of people will be allowed access all areas at a record 40 buildings not normally open to the public as well as taking part in events, tours and talks for all ages.
Initiative partners will meet at the Old Steeple in Nethergate on Monday, 4th August for the official launch of this year’s programme. Event organisers Dr Jon Urch and Shabnam Wasim from the University of Dundee will be led up the historic Old Steeple by Billy Gartley, Head of Cultural Service at Leisure and Culture Dundee, to showcase one of the buildings participating in the event for the first time.
On Doors Open Days itself, 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.
Billy Gartley said, “Leisure and Culture Dundee is delighted to be able to allow access to some of the city's historic buildings as part of Doors Open weekend. The opportunity to see inside the Old Steeple is something I would heartily recommend to anyone interested in the history of Dundee.”
Other buildings across the city that will be throwing open its doors and welcoming the public include fire stations, places of worship, theatres, art centres, community centres and other Dundee landmarks.
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 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 Urch said, “We are delighted to be able to offer members of the public the chance to visit more building across the city than ever before and we are sure there is something to suit every taste and interest. Fourteen of this year’s venues are new to the programme so 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.”
Doors Open Days gives people free access to buildings they normally wouldn’t visit as well as special events at public buildings and celebrates architecture in all its forms - from the very ancient to ultra-modern, well-loved to little-known.
Doors Open Days is coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust. It runs throughout Scotland every September as part of European Heritage Days. For more information visit www.doorsopendays.org.uk www.scottishcivictrust.org.uk.
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