University opens its doors to the public
Visitors are invited to explore Edinburgh’s hidden heritage at Doors Open Day 2024.
Some of the University of Edinburgh’s most iconic buildings and previously unseen spaces will open to the public as part of Doors Open Day later this month.
Visitors can go behind the scenes on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 September 2024 to explore some of the University’s historical landmarks such as the McEwan Hall, St Cecilia’s Hall and the Anatomical Museum.
From the past to the future
The University’s new Edinburgh Futures Institute will take part in the annual event for the first time. Officially opened to the public in June, this much-loved city landmark – formerly the Old Royal Infirmary – has been transformed following an extensive seven-year restoration.
The category-A listed building is now one of the largest institutes for interdisciplinary learning, research and innovation in Europe. The revitalised facility has transformed the local area, creating new public spaces, a café restaurant, exhibition and performance spaces.
Visitors can explore the building on self-guided tours, taking in exhibits including the Edinburgh Seven Tapestry – a new three-part artwork by artist Christine Borland and Dovecot Studios, celebrating the first women allowed to matriculate at a university in Britain.
They can also visit Borne by the Walls, a new exhibition of portraits, poems and texts that honours the complex past life of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and the lasting impact it has had on generations of people from Edinburgh and beyond.
A bespoke programme of drop-in activities including talks, screenings and workshops will run across the weekend, exploring topics including AI and creativity, supercomputing and innovation in restoration. A children’s play area will also be available on both days.
Time to explore
Also open to the public are central Edinburgh landmarks including St Cecilia’s Hall – the oldest purpose-built music venue in Scotland, the Talbot Rice Gallery, the University’s contemporary visual arts space at Old College and the stunning McEwan Hall, where thousands of students graduate each year.
Further out of town, at our King’s Buildings Campus, visitors can take in the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility – a state-of-the-art wave and current simulation tank used for ocean energy technologies and the Edinburgh Genome Foundry, a research facility specialising in the assembly of DNA constructs using an automated robotic platform.
Visitors can also check out the University’s cutting-edge medical research and teaching facilities, including the Institute for Regeneration and Repair and the Usher Building, both part of the Edinburgh BioQuarter at Little France.
Sneak peek
Doors Open Day takes place on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 September 2024. The full programme is available at Doors Open Days 2024.
More information about the programme at the Edinburgh Futures Institute can be found at Doors Open Day 2024 programme - Edinburgh Futures Institute.
University buildings taking part in this year’s event include:
- Abden House
- Anatomical Museum
- Ashworth Laboratories
- Bayes Centre
- Edinburgh Futures Institute
- Edinburgh Genome Foundry
- FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility
- Informatics Forum
- Institute for Design Informatics
- Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities
- King’s Buildings campus
- McEwan Hall
- New College
- St Cecelia’s Hall
- Talbot Rice Gallery
- The Grant Institute
- The Institute for Regeneration and Repair
- Usher Building
Open doors
Doors Open Day takes place every September and gives the public an opportunity to take a free behind-the-scenes look inside buildings across Scotland.
Since launching in 1990, the programme has expanded to include nearly 1,000 venues across all regions of Scotland.
Related links
Doors Open Day 2024 programme - Edinburgh Futures Institute
Image credits:
Edinburgh Futures Institute main entrance - Rachel Travers, Edinburgh College of Art; Edinburgh Futures Institute inside building - Keith Hunter Photography courtesy of Edinburgh Futures Institute and Bennetts Associates; McEwan Hall ceiling - Neil Hanna; The Institute for Regeneration and Repair - Edinburgh BioQuarter programme team