HIIIBIIRGII LIFE
Chanaonga cl amour
French Songs, Scottiah Poema, Goodies (BYOB)
THURSDAY 25 FEBRUARY 1999, 8PM
AT THE CAFE DE I’INSTITUT FRENCH INSTITUTE, 15 RANDOLPH CRESCENT, EH5
Ticketa £12/£8 (cone) In aid of Cruaaid Scotland
A very apecial evening of love conga anal muaic performed live and accompanied by French delicaciea from La Cuiaine d’Odile.
BOOK EARLY! PLACES LIMITED.
Tel: 0131 225 5655
82 TIEUST 18Feb~4 Mar 1999
EDINBURGH LIFE continued
Museum Of Scotland
Chambers Street. 247 ~12 l9. Mon—Sat IOam—Spm; Sun noon—5pm; Tue l0am—8pm. £3 (£I.50); Children free. This is the newest addition to our national museum selection and the only one dedicated solely to Scotland‘s history and heritage. The building contains five thematicalIy-arranged exhibitions. moving from pie-history. through the Industrial Revolution. to the present day. at which point national heroes such as Billy Connolly and Elaine C. Smith get involved.
Old Town Weaving Company
555 Castlehill. Royal Mile. 226 I555. Mon—Sat 9am—-5.30pm; Sun l0am—5pm. Free. Watch tartan appear before your eyes at this weaving wonderland. It's free to observe. but if you feel like having a go. £3 buys you a shot oii the loom and £2 gets you into two mixed-media exhibitions. Slurv 0/ ll’t'm'ilrc and Highland I)rc.v.v Through The Ages". And if you're feeling brave you can dress tip in ancient Scottish costume and have your photie taken.
Palace of Holyroodhouse
Royal Mile. 556 [096. Mon—Sun 9.30am—4.30pm. £5.30 (£2.60-£ I 3 family). Starting life as a l3th century abbey. the palace has evolved into a sumptuous regal residence crammed full of paintings and artefacts dating back primarily to the l7th century. The tower apartments housed a sad and lonely Mary Queen of Scots' fora time. but with a spectacular view of Arthur‘s Seat. and magnificent gardens to look at. it's hard to feel too sorry for her. Also on show Queen V/(‘Im'iu iv Fain/Iv. See lidinburgh Art listings page 77.
Rosslyn Chapel
Roslin. 4-10 2I59. Mon—Sat l0am-—5pm; Sun noon—4pm. Free. What you get out of a trip to Rosslyn Chapel may depend on your familiarity with books of the conspiracy theorist genre: a stronghold for the Knights Templar'?: proof of pre- Columbian trans-Atlantic travel'.’; even the final resting place of the Holy Grail? What is certain though is that the chapel contains enough historically fascinating carvings and symbols to hold the attention ofeven the most determined philistine.
Royal Botanic Garden
lnverleith Row. 552 7I7l. Mow-Sun 9.30am--7pm. Free. 9.30am—5pm (6pm in March). A sea of tranquillity in the hubbub of the city. the Botanic Garden is home to a wealth of flora and fauna from all over the world. The glasshouses give you the opportunity to check otit tropical plants as well. The site also hosts art exhibitions. horticultural courses and various countryside events. including daily guided walks.
Royal Museum of Scotland
2 Chambers Street. 247 42 I9. Mon—Sat l0am--5pni; Sun noon—~5pm; Tue l0am--8pm. £3 t£ l .50) A l9th century museum housing international collections of natural history. geology. science. technology and the decorative arts. plus two permanent exhibitions: .‘ll'l A'- lmlmlrv and The Irv Wu (fill/err. Also on show ('liim'w /.m (pier and Dunn/i 7i!/)(’\II'\'. See Edinburgh Art listings page 77.
Royal Observatory Visitor Centre Blackford Hill. 668 8405. Mon-Sal l0am--5pm; Sun noon—5pm. £2.50 (£I.50). This attraction is a mine of information on the heavens. from the latest interactive Cl)-Roms on space and
. astronomy to the obser\ atory's on-going
work in Hawaii and .»\ustralia. Public star-gazing sessions take place every Friday night from October to March.
Royal Yacht Britannia
Ocean Drive. Leith. 555 5566. Dain l0.30am—-6pm. £6.50 (£3.75-£5). The former royal yacht has recently opened its doors to members of the public after a £25 million refit. The on-shore visitor centre contains historical information on the boat and its furnishings while. on the yacht itself. members of the public can have a good nosey round the royals' former quarters.
Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre
354 Castlehill. Royal Mile. 220 044i. Mon—Sun 9.30am—4.30pm. £4.95 (£2.50—£3.50). Take a romp through the traditions and history of your national drink at this fully interactive attraction. Highlights include a lesson from a ghost master-blender. a barrel-car ride through whisky history and a well-stocked bar in which to test your newly-aqcuired expertise.
The People's Story
Canongate Tolbooth. I63 Canongate. 529 4057. Mon—Sat IOam—Spm. Free. Situated in the Canongate Tolbooth. the sights. sounds and even smells of Edinburgh folk from the l8th century onwards are faithfully reproduced.
Witchery Tour
Meet outside The Witchery restaurant. Castlehill (Royal Mile). 225 6745. £7 (£4). (9pm and IOpm nightly). Take a trip to the dark side of Edinburgh with your guide. Adam Lyal deceased. who will regale you with stories of torture. murder and witchcraft — but watch out for ghosts and ghouls lurking in the shadows.
Writers Museum
Lady Stair‘s House. Lady Stair‘s Close. 529 49OI. Mon—Sat IOam-Spm. Free. A treasure-house of items relating to three of Scotland's most famous writers: Robert Louis Stevenson. Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. Also on show Nun/iii Min-Iiixun. See Edinburgh Art listings page 77.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES
PERMANENT ATTRACTIONS
Abbot House Maygate. Dunfermline. Daily I0am-4.l5pm. £3 (£2). Asa medieval capital and favourite burial place for the kings and queens of Scotland (including old Brucie). Abbot House is a veritable treasure trove of Scottish historical artefacts.
New Lanark Visitor Centre New Lanark Mills. Lanark. 01555 661345. Mon—Sun llam—-5pm. £3.75 (£2.50). Now a world heritage site. New Lanark has much to teach us about life in the industrial era and the pioneering work of philanthropist Robert ()wen. Attractions include “The Annie McLeod lixperience'. an audio-visual trip to Victorian times.
Vikingar Bari'fields. Greenock Road. Largs. 0 I475 689777. Sat/Sun
l0.30am~ 3.30pm. £3.50 (£2.50). This award-wining centre tells the story of the Vikings in Scotland. from their first pillaging forays to their defeat at the Battle of Largs in I263.
' SPECIAL cveurs
Star Gazing Night Cornalees Bridge. Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. Loch Tom. 0I-l75 52 H58. Fri 19 Feb. 7.30—9.30pm. A chance to see Saturn's rings. Jupiter‘s moons and stars being born in the Orion Nebula.
Crooked Crow Homes Sun 21 Feb. 2—me. Donations. Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre. Wood Street. Grangemouth. 0I32~l 494974. As part of National Nest Week. the Green Action Squad (GAS) invite you to join them in their Nest Box Monitoring Scheme. You will receive a bird box for your own garden and a monitoring form to be returned when the birds have completed their nesting in the summer.