It’s a chance to venture into those places you pass all the time but never go inside.
Edinburgh’s Doors Open Days are next weekend - Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27. More than 100 buildings in the Capital are taking part, offering visitors a glimpse behind the scenes.
Doors Open is Scotland’s largest free festival of culture, architecture and heritage. It happens on different dates in different places. Midlothian and West Lothian have already had theirs. East Lothian’s falls this weekend, the same as Edinburgh’s.
This year’s theme, Heritage at Risk: Revive, Resist, Reimagine, invites participating venues and visitors to explore how Edinburgh’s built heritage is being protected, adapted for new uses, and reimagined for the future.
We’ve already featured some of the buildings in the Capital which will be opening their doors to the public:
Scroll through the 21 buildings featured here and decide which ones you want to visit.
And look out for more to come.
1. Morningside United Church
Morningside United Church at Holy Corner is an ecumenical congregation of the Church of Scotland and United Reformed Church (URC). It also hosts the Romanian Orthodox Church and Edinburgh Spiders, a Ukrainian group making hospital camouflage nets. The building, by James McLachlan 1927-29, is described as a small Art Deco-Romanesque church with campanile and barrel vaulted interior. As well as stained glass windows commemorating each of the world wars, there is another in memory of missionary and Olympian Eric Liddell. Address: 15 Chamberlain Road, EH10 4DJ. Open: Sunday September 27 , 1.30-4.30pm. | Scottish Civic Trust
2. National Galleries of Scotland: Granton Art Centre
Granton Art Centre is a fascinating art storage facility holding over 5,000 artworks from Scotland’s world-renowned national art collection which are currently not on display to the public. As a climate-controlled space, the centre holds almost enough art to fill a 7-a-side football pitch. Address: 242 West Granton Road, EH5 1JA. Open Saturday, September 26, tours from 10am till 4pm. Tours are now fully booked: Please email [email protected] to be added to waiting list. | Scottish Civic Trust
3. National Galleries Scotland: Modern One
Modern One is the art gallery which is home to all things contemporary, with displays, shows and installations from today's leading artists. It's also where the National Galleries of Scotland’s conservation studios are located. Visitors will be able to visit the studios, meet the conservators and hear about their work. Address: 75 Belford Road, EH4 3DR. Only open for pre-booked tours, Saturday, September 26, at 10am and 11.15am. Tours are sold out. Please email [email protected] to be added to waiting list. | Scottish Civic Trust
4. National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two
Originally built as the Dean Orphan Hospital in 1833, Modern Two was converted into a Gallery in 1999. It is now home to the National Galleries of Scotland’s archive, library and works of art on paper collections, as well as hosting temporary exhibitions. Address: 73 Belford Road, EH4 3DS. Open: Sunday September 27, tours at 11am and 2pm. Pre-booked tickets required: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/event/prints-drawings-study-room-doors-open-day | Scottish Civic Trust