Scotland's Festival of Museums returns for tenth year
The programme was launched today at Lauriston Castle, by Lily Donald, 4, and Isla Sutherland, 4, both from Edinburgh. The girls got a sneak peek of the venue’s upcoming Secret Garden Party event, a traditional fete which will feature a range of performances from local circus troupe, Circus Alba.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the annual festival, which started life as Show Scotland in 2006. Ten years on, the programme features over 100 day and night events creatively curated to help visitors engage with museums in unique and hands on ways, while spotlighting the variety of events and the wealth of culture in Scotland’s best loved attractions.
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Hide AdOther highlights from this year’s festival include In Vogue, a renaissance fashion show at Stirling Castle; Glasgow’s Marvellous Medicine, a look into the city’s medical heritage at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons; and Joan Eardley: A Private View, a new play on the life of the artist performed by Stellar Quines at the National Galleries of Scotland.
Joanne Orr, chief executive of Museums Galleries Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Festival of Museums. When the festivalwas established as Show Scotland in 2006 our goal was to ignite imaginations and showcase Scotland’s incredible range of museums and galleries.
“Over the past decade, we have been able to fund and support many museums across the country to take part and helped to increase visitor numbers and sector expertise across the board. We’re excited to return for our 10th year and are looking forward to the best festival yet.”
Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Culture Convener, said: “Edinburgh’s museums have been involved with the Festival since the very beginning, with ourMuseum of Childhood and Museum of Edinburgh hosting some of the very first events.
“This year it will be an excellent opportunity for us to celebrate Lauriston Castle’s offering and do something different for our visitors. The Secret Garden Party will be perfect for families looking for a special day out and there will be something for everyone - circus acts, animal handling and of course, plenty of history.”
The festival is run by Museum Galleries Scotland, the national development body for Scotland’s museums and galleries.