AROUND TOWN | Events
■ PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE Royal Mile, 556 5100, royalcollection. org.uk Daily 9.30am–6pm (last entry 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 until Thu 31 Oct; from Fri 1 Nov Sun–Thu 10am–5pm; Fri & Sat 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–5pm until Thu 31 Oct; from Fri 1 Nov 10am–4pm. Free; glasshouse entry £4.50 (£3.50; children £1; family £9). 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. ■ ROYAL OBSERVATORY VISITOR CENTRE Blackford Hill, 668 8404, roe.ac.uk/ vc Entry by arrangement or at public astronomy evenings (weekly, Fri 7.30–9pm). 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 until Thu 31 Oct; from Fri 1 Nov 10am–3.30pm. £12 (£10.50; under 18s £7.50; under 5s free; family £35). Take a guided tour of the floating royal residence (and the naval quarters below) and learn about life aboard the yacht, which served the royal family for almost 50 years. 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.
■ 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. Andrew Carnegie: The Legacy that Changed the World Until Jan 2014. Learn about the amazing legacy of the steel tycoon and philanthropist.
■ SCOTT MONUMENT Princes Street Gardens East, 529 4068, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Mon–Sat 9am–4pm; Sun 10am–6pm. £4. 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, plus occasional exhibitions.
■ SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE AND JOHN KNOX HOUSE 43–45 High Street, 556 9579, scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk Daily
■ 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 Jaclyn Arndt. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
GLASGOW Activities & Events Glasgay! Thu 17 Oct–Sat 9 Nov, Times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, 552 7575. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the massive celebration of queer culture has a ‘legacy’ theme, which is demonstrated in its impressive programme of theatre, comedy, music, clubs and visual art events. BBC Good Food Show Scotland Fri 18 Oct–Sun 20 Oct, Times vary. £18.25– £20.75 (VIP £66.75). SECC, Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. The food and drink extravaganza heads north of the border for another serving of celebrity chefs and star culinary attractions. FREE Black History Month Tours
Fri 18–Sun 20 Oct, 1–3pm. Glasgow Cathedral, Castle Street, nadia@crer. org.uk Guide Stephen Mullen, author of Wisnae Us: The Truth about Glasgow and Slavery, leads these tours around Glasgow’s city centre, exploring the city’s mercantile past and the role of the slave trade in its economic development. Book via email. Black History Month. Write Camera Action Mon 21 Oct, 7–9pm. £5 (£3). CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Creative evening for film writers, directors and actors, where scripts are workshopped in groups. Observers welcome. Ages 18+. FREE Immigration Stories from Across Scotland Fri 25 Oct, 9am–5pm. Free but ticketed. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Films sharing the real life stories from immigrants based in Glasgow are accompanied by a day of seminars, workshops and more. Presented by Africa in Motion and Document Film Festival. Vintage Wedding Show Sun 27 Oct, noon–5pm. £5. Trades Hall of Glasgow, 85 Glassford Street, 552 2418. A wedding show for brides and grooms who are looking to add a quirky edge to their big day, featuring authentic vintage and vintage-inspired dresses, live swing bands and a (G&)Tea party. FREE Autumnal Wonders Sun 27 Oct, 1–3pm. Glasgow Necropolis, 50 Cathedral Square, 552 3145. Ranger-led walk to forage for foods that grow in the city’s greenspaces, for that ultra-authentic local diet. FREE Glasgow Skeptics Mon 28 Oct, 7–9.30pm. The Admiral, 72a Waterloo Street, 221 7705. Allay your robot-future fears with the talk ‘Nanotechnology: Hype, Fear, and Reality’. GFT Film Quiz Tue 29 Oct, 8pm. £1. Saramago Café Bar, CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4920. Is your brain akin to IMDB? Put it to the test against some of Scotland’s most
48 THE LIST 17 Oct–14 Nov 2013