Scotland's newest dental school, and one of Aberdeen's most atmospheric buildings will throw their doors open to the public as part of Doors Open Day this weekend (September 12).
This is the first year Aberdeen’s popular Doors Open Day is jointly coordinated across the city by The University of Aberdeen. Along with some firm favourites, this year’s programme features several new attractions including Aberdeen Dental School and St. Mary’s Chapel.
Doors Open Day offers a unique opportunity to explore buildings that are normally closed to the public and provides the chance to appreciate Aberdeen’s hidden architectural heritage from a usually hidden perspective.
This year sees a record number of buildings open their doors to the public with more than forty taking part, seven of them for the first time. One of these being the purpose built modern dental teaching facility at Foresterhill where students will conduct tours around the state-of-the-art clinical skills suite and laboratories.
Aberdeen Sports Village, The Zoology Museum and the Sir Duncan Rice Library are among other University buildings welcoming the public through its doors.
Various other exciting venues across the city will also be opened up to the public including the Music Hall. Due to be closed soon for refurbishment this will be a fantastic opportunity to see this iconic building before it changes for ever.
Chris Croly, Secretary of Aberdeen’s Doors Open Day Organising Committee and Project Officer in the University’s Public Engagement with Research Unit said: "With a record number of buildings opening their doors, this year looks sure to be the best yet. Doors Open Day remains one of the most popular days in Aberdeen which really does offer something for everyone, from a chance to explore the Freemasons Hall to a visit to Frederick St Community Health and Care Village. This year we are really thankful to our sponsors for making this event possible, principally the University of Aberdeen alongside Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen City Heritage Trust and Aberdeen Inspired."
As always a free bus will be available on Doors Open Day which will take people to some of these buildings. The bus will leave from Broad Street, outside Marischal College at regular intervals between 10am to 3pm. The Hydrogen bus is sponsored by Stagecoach, Aberdeen City Council and First Bus.
The ever popular Children’s Photographic Competition will also run this year and will be based in King’s College. Children up until S3 are invited to identify buildings from photographs for the chance to win prizes.
The full list of participating buildings and details of the exciting activities on offer is available to download at: http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/
ENDS