AROUND TOWN | Museums & Attractions
■ EDINBURGH ZOO Corstorphine Road, 334 9171, edinburghzoo.org.uk Daily 9am–6pm. £16 (£13.50; under 16s £11.50; under 3s free). Visitors can see the headline-grabbing giant pandas, the famous Penguin Parade and over 1000 other rare and interesting animals and birds at this site three miles west of the city centre.
5 REASONS TO GO TO . . . UK GREEN FILM FESTIVAL
1 Feed your conscience So you’ve spent the whole winter with the central heating on full, the TV showing back- to-back Game of Thrones and the fridge stuffed with fruit flown in from Kenya. Undo your ungreen deeds by seeing some films screened in the name of understanding the human impact on the environment. 2 Startling facts One third of what we eat wouldn’t exist without bees, according to More than Honey, one of the four films showing at Glasgow Film Theatre as part of the festival. Who knows what other tasty factoids you’ll learn? Amuse your friends, confound your enemies and gain a new respect for our busy little insect friends, too. 3 Jeremy Irons talking rubbish The Oscar-winning actor dons a floppy hat to pick his way across the planet’s biggest landfill sites in documentary Trashed, exposing just how much waste we’re pumping into our oceans, air and soil. If anyone can lend drama and gravitas to a moment when a seagull tucks into a batch of rotten sandwiches, it’s Jeremy. 4 Converging media Part of the programme is Matt Damon’s Promised Land, which he has described as ‘the movie version’ of the new Bruce Springsteen album. See it and find out what on earth that actually means. 5 It really is green The GFT has an ongoing commitment to environmental issues, with its own Green Blog and Industry Green certification. Watch a film and befriend the ice caps, all in one go. (Charlotte Runcie) ■ UK Green Film Festival, GFT, Glasgow, Sat 1–Thu 6 Jun. For listings see Film, page 72.
50 THE LIST 16 May–13 Jun 2013
■ HOLYROOD PARK Holyrood Park Road, 652 8150, historic- scotland.gov.uk Open at all times; Holyrood Lodge Information Centre daily 9.30am–3pm. Free. The main entrance to this large royal park, east of the city centre, is flanked by the Palace of Holyrood House and the Scottish Parliament Building. Its main feature is Arthur’s Seat, an 823-foot former volcano which has a number of smaller peaks and ponds surrounding it. ■ MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD 42 High Street, 529 4142, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm. Free. Kids can learn about the toys, clothes and lifestyles of children of the past in this Royal Mile museum. Nostalgia for grown-ups guaranteed.
■ MUSEUM ON THE MOUND The Mound, 243 5464, museumonthemound.com Tue–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat & Sun 1–5pm; closed Mon. Free. Hosted inside the Bank of Scotland’s head office, this museum is all about money. Learn how currency has evolved over the past 4000 years or try cracking a safe. ■ NATIONAL MINING MUSEUM SCOTLAND Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, 663 7519, scottishminingmuseum.com Daily 10am–5pm. £7.50 (£5.50; children free). Nine miles south of Edinburgh, this museum is one of the best-preserved Victorian collieries in Europe. Learn about the life of a miner by taking a tour around the site.
■ NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789, nms.ac.uk Daily 10am–5pm. Free. Renovated in 2011, this national beacon of culture has exhibitions on natural history, science and technology, Scottish history, art and design and world cultures in galleries surrounding a beautiful naturally-lit atrium space. Amazing Amber Until Sun 8 Sept. This exhibition of fossilised tree resin contains that famous walking stick from Jurassic Park, as well as pieces from Myanmar, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and many more. ■ NATIONAL MUSEUMS COLLECTION CENTRE 242 West Granton Road, 247 4770, nms.ac.uk Visits by appointment only or with occasional tours. Following the redevelopment of the National Museum, two new collection buildings have also been added to the storage and conservation centre at Granton. From vintage motorbikes to whale and dinosaur bones – it’s all there.
■ OUR DYNAMIC EARTH Holyrood Road, 550 7800, dynamicearth.co.uk Wed–Sun 10am– 5.30pm (last entry 4pm); closed Mon & Tue. £11.50 (£9.75; under 16s £7.50; under 3s free). Take an interactive journey through the history of the earth. Go to the tundra or the bottom of the ocean, never being more than a stone’s throw from the Scottish Parliament and Arthur’s Seat. Alien Invasion Until Fri 28 Jun. An extraterrestrial exhibition featuring memorabilia from iconic sci-fi films and TV shows, including Star Wars and Doctor Who, along with a 360° film narrated by Rupert Grint. ■ PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE Royal Mile, 556 5100, royalcollection. org.uk Daily 9.30am–6pm (last admission 5pm). £11 (£10; under 17s £6.65; under 5s free). The official Scottish residence of the Queen, this baroque palace was once home to Mary Queen of Scots and now houses the great artworks and tapestries of its regal residents.
■ REAL MARY KING’S CLOSE 2 Warriston’s Close, High St, 0845 070 6244, realmarykingsclose.com Daily 10am–9pm. £12.95 (£11.45; children £7.45). Beneath the Royal Mile lies a warren of hidden closes where citizens of Edinburgh lived and died in the 16th and 17th centuries. The underground tours are led by guides in the character of real people who lived in the close. ■ ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH Inverleith Row, 552 7171, rbge.org.uk Daily 10am–6pm. Free; glasshouse entry £4.50 (£3.50; children £1; family £9) (last admission 5pm). These gardens, founded in the 17th century, cover over 70 acres and are just one mile from the city centre. There are glasshouses and cafés within the grounds, as well as high-profile art exhibitions at Inverleith House. Leafing through Natural Scotland Until Sun 21 Jul. An exhibition of images and objects connecting books to nature.
■ ROYAL OBSERVATORY VISITOR CENTRE Blackford Hill, 668 8404, roe.ac.uk/ vc Entry by arrangement or at Public Astronomy evenings (weekly, Fri 6.30pm & 8pm). Public Astronomy evenings £4 (£3). See the stars through the research centre’s magnificent copper domes at weekly astronomy evenings. ■ ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA Ocean Terminal, Leith, 555 5566, royalyachtbritannia.co.uk Daily 9.30am–4pm. £12 (£10.50; under 18s £7.50; under 5s free; family £35). Take a guided tour of the ornate floating royal residence (and the naval quarters below) and learn about life aboard the yacht, which served the royal family for almost 50 years.
■ SCOTCH WHISKY EXPERIENCE 354 Castlehill, 220 0441, scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk Daily 10am–6pm; entry is as part of a tour. Tours £12.75–£52 (£10.25–£26; under 18s £6.50). Learn more about Scotland’s tastiest export with a tour and tasting session. There is also a bar and restaurant if you need a few more drams to help decide which is your favourite. ■ SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT Horse Wynd, 0800 092 7500, scottish. parliament.uk Opening hours vary according to whether Parliament is in session, see website for details. Free. See Spanish architect Enric Miralles’ magnificent (and controversial) Holyrood building, take a tour of the interior, sit in on a debate or look at the artwork on display.
■ SCOTT MONUMENT Princes Street Gardens East, 529 4068, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Daily 10am–7pm. £3. Commemorating Sir Walter Scott, this is the largest monument of any writer in the world. Take all 287 steps to the top for a great view of the city, and occasional exhibitions. ■ SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE AND JOHN KNOX HOUSE 43–45 High Street, 556 9579, scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk Mon–Sat 10am—6pm; closed Sun. Free entry to SSC; John Knox House £4.25 (£3.75; children £1; under 7s free). A stylish contemporary building appended to the 15th-century home of Protestant reformer John Knox, housing materials relating to Scotland’s rich oral culture.
■ SURGEONS’ HALL MUSEUM Nicolson Street, 527 1649, museum. rcsed.ac.uk Daily 10am–5pm (last entry 4.15pm). £5 (£3). Home to permanent collections on pathological anatomy, the history of surgery and dentistry, as well as temporary exhibitions, talks and occasionally gruesome hands-on events.
EVENTS
Events are listed by city, then type. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to sport@list.co.uk for sport or aroundtown@list.co.uk for all other events. Listings compiled by Charlotte Runcie. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
GLASGOW Events & Activities Southside Fringe Thu 16–Sun 26 May, times vary. Prices vary. Southside, southsidefringe.org.uk The inaugural 16- day festival – incorporating music, theatre and activities for all the family – heads into its final week. The Finale Party (Sun 26 May, £10) in Pollok Country Park says goodbye with a line-up of local acts. The Power Cut Choir Tue 21 & 28 May, 7–9pm. £3. The Roxy 171, 171 Great Western Road, 331 1901. Alternative community choir, with a repertoire ranging from Ivor Cutler to Sleater-Kinney. All welcome, no audition necessary. FREE From Dusk til Dawn Sat 25 May, 7pm–8am. Glasgow City Council Land Services Daldowie Nursery & Training Centre, Daldowie, 276 0931. Get cosy with the great outdoors on this family orientated camping event, featuring morning and evening guided walks (plus, breakfast!). Part of Scotland’s Nature Festival.
✽ West End Festival Fri 31 May– Sun 30 Jun, times vary. Prices vary. West End, westendfestival.co.uk Taking over Glasgow’s West End each year, the festival treats the ears to a great musical line-up, makes you smart with a bunch of talks, tantalises all the senses with a carnival and delves into the creative depths of local artists. See preview, page 24.
✽ UK Green Film Festival Sat 1–Thu 6 Jun, times vary. Glasgow Film
Theatre, 12 Rose Street, 332 6535. The film fest with an environmental conscience marks its third year, curating a UK-wide programme that informs, challenges, inspires and entertains. See preview, left, and individual film listings, page 77. FREE Gibson Street Gala Sun 2 Jun, noon–6pm. Gibson Street, gibsonstgala. co.uk General out of doors madness with street entertainers, live music, art and crafts, food, drink, children’s areas and games. Part of West End Festival. Glasgow Science Festival Thu 6–Sun 16 Jun, times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, 330 5370. This year’s theme is ‘Glasgow, Naturally’ and a packed programme of workshops, films, discussion and exhibitions allows budding scientists to sit back and learn or to don safety goggles and take part in an experiment. See preview, right.
✽ Dead Sleazy Thu 6 Jun, 7.30–11pm. £5. Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall
Street, 333 0900. An evening of comedy, film and hard zombie science, with an interactive survivor’s guide to the zombie apocalypse and a screening of The Evil Dead. Part of Glasgow Science Festival. The White Fashion Show Sat 8 Jun, 5.30pm. £10–£15. Destiny Centre, 1120 Pollokshaws Road, 07447 069708. Fashion show with designs from Kemunto Fashion, Ursula Graham, Nginda and Louise Devlin. The dress code is all white.
Fairs & Markets FREE Simply Swap Fashion Exchange Every Thu & Fri, 9.30am– 5pm. Simply Swap, 439 Duke Street, Dennistoun, 551 0071. Beat the recession by exchanging that never-worn evening dress for something you’ll actually wear. Clothes for men, women and kids available. FREE Byres Road Makers Market Sat 25 May, 11am–4pm. Hillhead Library, 348 Byres Road, 339 7223. A market featuring handmade crafts and work by Scottish designers, artists and crafters. FREE Little Birds Market Sun 9 Jun, noon–5pm. Sloans, 62 Argyll Arcade,