Doors Open Days is Scotland’s largest free festival that celebrates heritage and the built environment, new and old. Every September, you can explore hundreds of fascinating buildings across Scotland for free. Some open up once a year, some just once in a lifetime.
Doors Open Days is a national event run by the Scottish Civic Trust. Information about the national programme, including event listings, can be found at www.doorsopendays.org.uk. Doors Open Days, along with Scottish Archaeology Month take place throughout Scotland and are part of European Heritage Days – an initiative which promotes a sense of community and a “common heritage” throughout the continent.
Programme Highlights:
Barrhead Foundry
We can’t wait to welcome you to our Doors Open Day event at Barrhead Foundry on Saturday 21 September. Drop in any time, 11am – 4pm, and join us to view the You are Here touring exhibition, which is visiting East Renfrewshire, courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The exhibition explores the ways we use maps to examine and understand our world.
As well as viewing the exhibition, visitors will be able to browse local maps, and other related items from the East Renfrewshire Heritage Collection, that show how our own local area has grown and changed over time. We will look at the different influences that have shaped its development and ask the question, what does our local area mean to us?
We will also have a free drop in art activity for all the family.
On The Map
11am – 4pm
Free, drop-in, all ages
Can you help us decorate and complete our GIANT map of our area? Pop in and give us a hand by drawing your local school, park, shops and more!
Heritage staff and volunteers will be on hand to chat about the collections and we look forward to seeing you there!
Eastwood House, Giffnock
Join us at Eastwood House to take part in free arts activities for Doors Open Day!
On The Map Art Activity:
Join us anytime between 10am-4.30pm for our Free art activities for all ages. Can you help us decorate and complete our GIANT map of our area? Pop in and give us a hand by drawing your local school, park, shops and more!
We are also hosting the following free adult workshops:
Mapping Textures, please pre-book here: www.ercultureandleisure.org
Connections: Poetry Workshop, please pre-book here: www.ercultureandleisure.org
The Carswell Centre, Eaglesham
Volunteers will be on hand to show visitors around the building and highlight the different facilities, the statues and the quilt.
St Joseph's Catholic Church, Clarkston
We are delighted to open our Church outside the usual times of liturgy for anyone to visit for a quiet time of reflection, and to walk round our Church viewing our statues and stained glass (with an accompanying information sheet). Volunteers will be available to assist or answer questions.
Studio Two Six One, Newton mearns
Studio Two Six One is a new creative hub in Newton Mearns. The Gallery comprises of Scottish Artwork , Artisan Gifts (including jewellery, candles, ceramics and diffusers). We also host specialist workshops from local artists and other specialised creatives.
For Doors Open Days there will be free art workshops for both adults and children - there is also a free online download available to do at home.
The art workshops will be inspired by our local heritage and connections in East Renfrewshire and beyond!
Whitelee Windfarm Visitor Centre
Whitelee is the UK's largest onshore windfarm, located on Eaglesham Moor just 20 minutes from central Glasgow. Its 215 turbines generate up to 539 megawatts of electricity, enough to power just under 300,000 homes. With more than 130 kilometres of trails to explore, on foot, by cycle or by horse, with free parking and free entry to our onsite Visitor Centre, Whitelee is a great destination for a day out with the whole family.
Whitelee Windfarm by it’s nature links to the themes of scientific knowledge and technological innovations. As the UK’s largest onshore windfarm, people will get the chance to explore and learn for themselves how we’re using technology to power the future.
The Exhibition has fantastic hands-on interactive activities. If you were building a windfarm would you know where to place the turbines? Do you know what wind is and why it blows? Feel the power of the wind without even stepping outside, investigate this and much more!
Take a spin on our brand-new electric bus to get up close to our turbines. Want to explore the windfarm and learn more about the turbines and ecology of the site? Then why not join one of our guided tours? The bus tour is wheelchair accessible.
For more information on the participating buildings, events & tours, visit www.doorsopendays.org.uk
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On East Renfrewshire, click here to find out more!
Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in East Renfrewshire? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival is an annual event celebrating the city's architecture, culture, and heritage through a free programme of open buildings and events taking place in September!
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