There is a huge programme of events taking place culminating in the Doors Open Days on 28 & 29 September 2013.
The programme is below but we have made our choices which we recommend here for you.
The City Chambers – We spend a bit of time here so we do know it all quite well. The view from the windows at the back is astounding looking down over Waverley Station and Princes Street. But inside the main building was built in the 18th century by John Adam and became the home of the council in 1811. The ceiling in the main chamber has to be seen to be believed! (Look out for the star signs…)
Lyon & Turnbull in Broughton Place is a beautiful building which could have been built as an auction house. However, it was originally built as Broughton Place Church and has wonderful pillars outside which are used to full dramatic effect at evening functions. There is a balcony upstairs where the charity Art show takes place usually in October each year.
Scottish Poetry Library Crichton’s Close Canongate. This is a lovely purpose built building but better than all of the architecture perhaps, there will be some of the wonderful GiftED Paper Sculptures on display here. Saturday only 10am-4pm.
Boroughmuir School Viewforth – this will be almost your last chance to have a peek at the school especially favoured by former pupils. It will be closed in 2016 when the new school will be built on a site nearer the canal.
Drumsheugh Baths Club Belford Road is a private swimming pool – in fact the oldest in Edinburgh. The pool is 70 feet long and the rings and trapezes have delighted its members for many years now.
The Filmhouse Lothian Road One for the film buffs among you. There will be projection tours talks and screenings. You can get details of these by downloading the latest brochure from the Filmhouse website.
The Supreme Courts in Parliament Square are not necessarily somewhere that you would like to end up, but they are very beautiful. This is where the Inner and Outer Houses of the Court of Session sit to hear civil cases. The High Court across the street is where the criminal cases are usually heard. You will not get to see the advocates taking a walk up and down the tiled floor of Parliament Hall at the Court of Session, but you can perhaps imagine it as you tour the building. There are visual displays and reenactments promised. The Supreme Courts and the Advocates Library are only open on Saturday from 9am-4pm.
Queen Street Gardens East – Sunday only from 12 noon till 4pm. Private gardens usually open only to those with a key – to get in and get out of the gardens. They pay an annual charge so that the gardens are kept in good order, There is a temple in this garden which is used to cover up an otherwise unsightly gas governor station.
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