Days out and History

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18th Century Cottage Life
Date	Location
Fiona J Houston decided to live like an 18th century ancestor. In this talk she explains the pleasures and pains of her experiment, followed by an 18th century-inspired buffet. View full details
27 Sep 11am	Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh

1952–2012: 60 Years of the Past
Date	Location
An exhibition looking at the last 50 years of Falkirk and its surrounding area, and the changes that have taken place since the Queen took the throne. View full details
23 May–20 Oct Mon–Sat 10am–5pm	Callendar House, Falkirk

2012 Invades Popular Culture: Mayans, Memes, and the End of a World Era
Date	Location
Apocalyptic culture researcher (one for the list of 'jobs we'd like to have') Kevin Whitesides discusses the 2012 phenomenon and how the end of the world has suddenly become a hot topic for everyone – not just the crazies. Part of Edinburgh Art Festival: Art Late. View full details (Edinburgh Festival Guide)
23 Aug 6.30pm	Edinburgh Printmakers, Edinburgh

An Afternoon of 50s Flair
Date	Location
Pop on your winklepickers and tease your hair into a bouffant before boarding the retro red bus to the 1950s. Tour the costume exhibition, enjoy an old school cream tea then take in a screening of Grease. Prizes for the best 1950s costumes! View full details
21 Jun 11am	National Museum of Costume, Dumfries

AHSS: Visit to Kelburn Castle and Knock Castle
Date	Location
The Strathclyde group of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland leads a day trip to the colourfully graffiti'd Kelburn Castle and the 17th-century ruins of Knock Castle. Meet at Kelburn Castle car park. View full details
27 Jun 10am	Kelburn Castle and Country Centre, Largs

All Day Arthur's Adventures
Date	Location
This is a challenging walk with strenuous inclines and rough terrain, but it's packed full of fascinating facts about the history of Arthur's seat. Wear appropriate clothing and walking boots. Bring a packed lunch and a drink. View full details
16 Jun 10am 29 Jul 10am	Holyrood Park Education Centre, Edinburgh

Almondell Past and Present
Date	Location
Learn about the heritage of the Almondell Estate over this walk and talk. Meet at the Visitor Centre. View full details
18 Nov 1.30pm	Almondell and Calderwood Country Park, by Broxburn

The Anatomical Museum Open Day
Date	Location
A chance to explore the collections and meet notorious body snatcher Burke (or at least his skeleton). View full details
30 Jun 10am	Anatomical Museum, Edinburgh

Applying Pressure
Date	Location
Hear the bloody tale of Earl Gilbert and the megalomaniacal manner in which he took the ruling of Crossraguel Abbey into his own hands. View full details
17 Jun 11am	Crossraguel Abbey

Architectural Secrets Walking Tour
Date	Location
A wander through Aberdeen's old town to learn about its Medieval buildings and the 18th and 19th century artisan houses. Meet at the entrance to King's College. View full details
16 Jun 7.30pm	James McKay Hall, Aberdeen

Armed Forces Day
Date	Location
Armed Forces and Veterans celebrations with massed pipes and drums and a parade of military vehicles. View full details
30 Jun 11am	Union Street, Aberdeen

Art and Escapism in the Nineteenth Century
Date	Location
Alastair Smith, Curator for the National Trust for Scotland, presents this talk on how the exoticism and mystery of Japan and China influenced 19th century artists. View full details
24 Sep 10.30am	Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh

Arthur's Amble
Date	Location
Learn all about the folk who lived and worked around Arthur's Seat on this gentle walk around Hunter's Bog and St. Margaret's Loch View full details
4 Jun–30 Jul Mon 1–2.30pm	Holyrood Park Education Centre, Edinburgh

The Artist's Book Day
Date	Location
As well as discovering more about the fascinating collection of books at Surgeons' Hall, you're encouraged to take inspiration from medical journals and books on anatomy to create some drawings and prints which you'll fashion into a book of your own. Family friendly, suitable for ages 10+. Booking is essential. View full details and ticket info
17 Aug 9.45am	Surgeons' Hall Museum, Edinburgh

Attics Tour
Date	Location
Discover the strange and revealing cornucopia of objects hidden away in Blair Castle on this tour of its maze of attic rooms. Tour involves spiral staircases, heights and tight spaces and is only suitable for the fully able. Tour can be booked in advance by telephone, or in person on the day, if numbers allow. Ages 12+. View full details
27 May–21 Oct Sun 2pm	Atholl Estates, Pitlochry

Ayrshire Burns Brightly
Date	Location
A series of arty projects taking inspiration from the democratic ideals of the Scottish Enlightenment, and how they inspired Burns. Installation and soundscape experiences take over Ayrshire, and there's also a large cardboard tower that the public are invited to help tear down. Part of Roofless. View full details
31 May–3 Jun Times vary	Various Venues, South Ayrshire

Ayrshire's Reel History
Date	Location
A series of short films documenting the history of Cumnock and Dalmellington, from Dalmellington Fancy Dress Parade in 1927, to Cumnock Celebration and Ochiltree Tile Works in 1951, showcasing over 100 years of Scotland on screen. View full details
10 May–11 Aug Thu–Sat 11am–5pm	Baird Institute Museum, Cumnock

Back to School with Miss Baxter
Date	Location
If you think school is bad now, try a day at school during WWII! No trainers, iPods or skiving allowed at this actress-led re-enactment. Places are limited so please arrive early. Ages 5+. View full details
30 Jun 2pm	Scotland Street School Museum, Glasgow

Bang on Time
Date	Location
The one o' clock gun has been fired almost every day since 1861. Now's your chance to learn the history behind the tradition with Professor Charles Piazzi Smyth. View full details
8 Jun Fri 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm & 3pm	Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh

Battle of Killiecrankie
Date	Location
Learn about the gruesome details of battles in the past with an interactive battle talk, weapons display, and crafts for warlike kids. View full details
11 Jul 2pm 25 Jul 2pm 8 Aug 2pm 22 Aug 2pm 24 Oct 2pm	Killiecrankie National Trust Visitor Centre, Pitlochry

The Prestonpans Tapestry – Animated!
Date	Location
Showing of a new DVD, the animated story of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Screened every hour, on the hour. Part of 3 Harbours Arts Festival. View full details
2 Jun–9 Jun Not Mon	Prestoungrange Gothenburg, Prestonpans

The Battle of Stirling Bridge
Date	Location
Learn the story of William Wallace and his compatriots as costumed actors bring the Battle of Stirling Bridge to life. View full details
4 Apr–30 Sep Wed, Sat & Sun 11.15am–3.30pm 6 Oct–25 Nov Sat & Sun 11.15am & 3.30pm	The National Wallace Monument, Stirling

Beaton and Blackness
Date	Location
Cardinal Beaton is languishing in his cell for attempting to forge the will of James V and trying to become the next ruler or Scotland. Meet the trickster himself and hear him plan his escape and revenge. View full details
10 Jun 11am	Blackness Castle, Blackness

The Black Dinner
Date	Location
One night in November 1440, the 16-year-old Earl of Douglas and his younger brother David were invited to dinner with James II. They didn't know that it was a plot to destroy their family's power. Over the course of the evening they were accused of trumped-up charges and summarily beheaded, an event which has become known as the Black Dinner. Hear the story of how it happened at this living history event. View full details
26 Nov–30 Nov Mon–Fri 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm & 3pm	Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh

Blackness House and Grounds
Date	Location
Tour the house and gardens, learning more about local history as you go. Part of Dundee WestFest. View full details
13 Jun 2pm	St Peter's Church, Dundee

Blitz Experience Walking Tour
Date	Location
On Apr 21 1943 Aberdeen suffered the worst bombing the city experienced throughout WWII. This guided walk tours the worst affected sites, hearing excerpts of testimonials by people who lived through it, and looking at how the city was rebuilt afterwards. View full details
14 Jul 2pm	Northern Hotel, Aberdeen

The Body in Motion: Damage, Disease and Destruction
Date	Location
Tying in with the Olympics, the Museum is running some special tours exploring how the body copes under extreme pressure and illness, via parts of the historic pathology collection that are not normally on display. Ages 16+. Booking is essential. View full details and ticket info
31 Jul–2 Aug Tue–Thu 1pm & 3pm	Surgeons' Hall Museum, Edinburgh

The Bruce Festival
Date	Location
Dunfermline, home to the story of Robert the Bruce as well as the legendary king's grave, hosts a weekend of historical activities and re-enactments with a strong family feel. The centrepiece is Bruce Live in the Glen, a medieval village teeming with craftsmen, jesters, soldiers and knights, with storytelling, battle demos and plenty of hands-on activities to get involved with (sticking wounded soldiers back together at the medieval hospital being just one rather gruesome example). View full details
24 Aug–26 Aug To be confirmed	Pittencrieff Park, Dunfermline

A Burning Most Foul
Date	Location
Protestant martyr George Wishart is awaiting death by burning at the stake and tells of the events that led up to his unfortunate situation. View full details
7 Jul–8 Jul Sat & Sun 11am–3pm	St Andrews Castle, St Andrews

Busy Servants and VIP Guests
Date	Location
A chance to experience how the other half lived in Edwardian times as you prepare lemonade and biscuits with cook in the kitchen before transforming into Lord or Lady of the manor and touring the upstairs rooms. View full details
1 Sep 10.30am	Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh

Carrick 800 Historical Enactment
Date	Location
Living history re-enactment of a fateful meeting at the Red Moss Inn as members of the Kennedy clan reignite an old feud and struggle for power. View full details
3 Jun 2.30pm	Culzean Castle & Country Park, Maybole

Castle Fraser Steam & Vintage Fair
Date	Location
Steam engines and vintage vehicles galore in the picturesque surroundings of Castle Fraser. Includes fairground rides for children. View full details
16 Jun 10.30am 17 Jun 10.30am	Castle Fraser, Inverurie

Castle Gardens Tour
Date	Location
The Head Gardener explains what made these gardens so fondly regarded by The Queen Mother. Booking is essential. View full details
24 Jun–5 Sep Wed & Sun 5pm	Castle of Mey, Caithness

Castlegate Circular Walking Tour
Date	Location
A walking tour to learn more about Castlegate's familiar places, from the Gibbet Stane public execution site to the historical town houses. Meet at Mercat Cross. View full details
30 Jul 7.30pm	Mercat Cross, Aberdeen

Catherine the Great: An Enlightened Empress
Date	Location
Catherine the Great may have achieved power in a bloodless coup, and she extended the borders of Russia to such an extent that its leaders to this day can't stop thinking of the old place as an empire; but she also sponsored literary achievement, her personal art collection formed the nucleus of what's now the Hermitage Museum, and she was responsible for the first state-run higher education institute for women in the whole of Europe. This exhibition of material from her collections reflects… View full details and ticket info
13 Jul–31 Oct Mon–Sun 10am–5pm	National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Celebration of the Centuries
Date	Location
Historic Scotland's biggest event of the year features re-enactments of all kinds of historical event, from historic combat displays and big band dances to a flyover by a Spitfire. There are also plenty of interactive activities to get involved in. View full details and ticket info
11 Aug–12 Aug Sat & Sun 11.30am–4.30pm	Fort George, Nr Nairn

Chalmers Memorial Church: Open Doors
Date	Location
Have a nose around the category A listed church, with its unique stencilled interior and original timber carving, and arts and crafts features that haven't much changed since the day the church opened in 1905. Part of 3 Harbours Arts Festival. View full details
2 Jun–10 Jun Mon–Sun 2–4pm	Chalmers Memorial Church, Prestonpans

Chatelherault 25 Year Celebration
Date	Location
Help celebrate the anniversary of Chatelherault's refurbishment with a quiz and exhibition of photographs. View full details
29 Sep–30 Sep Sat & Sun 10am–5pm	Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton

Coffin Trail Walk
Date	Location
A guided walk along part of Glencoe's old coffin trail. Walking boots, waterproofs, spare clothes, a packed lunch and a drink are essential. No unaccompanied under 16s and no under 10s. Booking is essential. View full details
13 Apr–12 Oct Fri 9am–5pm	Glencoe & Dalness, Glencoe

The Colourists and their Contemporaries
Date	Location
Ian O’Riordan,curator at the City Art Centre, presents this lecture on the work of Fergusson, Peploe, Cadell and Hunter, collectively known as the Colourists and pivotal to the development of Scottish art in the first half of the 20th century. View full details
1 Oct 10.30am	Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh

Community Event
Date	Location
A special event at which you can learn about the history of Mersehead and the surrounding area. View full details
14 Jul–15 Jul Sat & Sun 11am–4pm	RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve, Dumfries

Costume Guides
Date	Location
Get a guided tour of Gladstone's Land with 17th-century costumed guides; highlights include original artworks and fittings of the period. View full details
7 Jul–25 Aug Sat 12.30–5pm	Gladstone's Land, Edinburgh

Courtly Games and Intrigues at the Court of Mary Queen of Scots
Date	Location
Alewife Agnes Clarke lids the lid on life at Craigmiller Castle. View full details
11 Jul 11am 5 Aug 11am	Craigmillar Castle, Edinburgh

The Crooked Stick: Medieval Archery
Date	Location
Try your hand at archery Medieval style and see what kinds of weapons the powerful Douglases had at their disposal when faced with invasion by the English. View full details
17 Jun 11am	Threave Castle, Castle Douglas
25 Jul 10am	Craignethan Castle, Lanark

The Crooked Stick: Medieval Archery
Date	Location
Do you reckon you could have offed the flower of the French nobility at Agincourt? Try your hand with a bow and find out. View full details
1 Aug 10am	Blackness Castle, Blackness

The Crown Jewels of Maryhill
Date	Location
Gordon Barr gives a talk on the iconic stained glass windows of Maryhill Burgh Hall and other interesting finds around the area. Part of the West End Festival. View full details
12 Jun 6.30pm	Hillhead Library, Glasgow

The Cullen Letters
Date	Location
A whirlwind tour through 18th-century medicine via the 6000 letters sent between Dr William Cullen and his patients. Part of the West End Festival. View full details
9 Jun–13 Jun Wed 6.30pm; Sat 2pm	12 University Gardens, Glasgow

Curator's Talks
Date	Location
Talks on different topics by the Burrell's team of curators. View full details
30 May 12.30pm The Curator of Islamic Civilizations discusses an odd Indian carpet fragment in this talk entitled 'Trees…	Burrell Collection, Glasgow
6 Jun 12.30pm The Museum Manager gives a talk about ornamenting landscape and, particularly, the Warwick Vase.	Burrell Collection, Glasgow
13 Jun 12.30pm Liz Hancock presents a talk entitled 'Baroque Flowers and Animals' and examines Portuguese chairs.	Burrell Collection, Glasgow
27 Jun 12.30pm The Curator of Medieval and Renaissance Art examines a tapestry featuring the Olympic Games.	Burrell Collection, Glasgow

Daft Days
Date	Location
The days between Christmas and the New Year were traditionally known as the 'Daft Days', not just because everyone had eaten themselves silly over Christmas itself, but because a spirit of revelry was rife as people prepared for the biggest celebration of the year – Hogmanay. Meet Mary, Queen of Scots and her lady in waiting, and find out how they prepared for the games and entertainment. Also features a musket display from the soldiery. View full details
27 Dec–31 Dec Mon & Thu–Sun noon–4pm	Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh

Dean Village
Date	Location
Caroline Gerard, a volunteer guide for over 30 years, presents this lecture on one of Edinburgh's most historic and picturesque villages. View full details
14 Aug 10.30am	Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh

251 events.

Sorted by event / date & time / place / most viewed / star rating. Showing 25, 50, 100 per page.

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