Milestone for Dundee's McManus Galleries

The museum's celebrating a very big birthday.

Published 12th Sep 2017

Hundreds of people gathered outside the McManus Galleries in Dundee today, to help celebrate its 150th year.

The public has been visiting the museum for generations- with an estimated 150,000 guests passing through its doors every year.

It's gone through some major transformations in the last century and a half, including a five year refurbishment, and has hosted exhibitions from world-renowned painters, such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Picasso and Matisse.

Earlier, crowds heard a musical performance from local choir, Loasdweeminsingin', while children from Blackness Primary came along to join in the festivities.

Lord Provost, Ian Borthwick was present to cut a ceremonial ribbon marking the occasion.

He said: "Today has fulfilled all our expectations, and especially with the children here, I think, it made the day to an extent because the children are the future".

Growing up in Dundee, he said the McManus is a place very close to his heart: "I still have memories of some of the artifacts in the museum- a lion in a glass case, a mummy, and various other things.

"It was great to stimulate that interest and my mother was a great believer in that".

Leisure and Culture Dundee director, Stewart Murdoch spoke about today's high turnout.

He said: "I was standing at the back of the Loadsweeminsingin' choir, looking at the faces of the pupils from Blackness Primary School, and their engagement looking at the voices of older women singing was beautiful.

“How many generations of kids have gone through it and why do adults still come back to it day after day? Because they love it".

He added: "What people particularly love about this building is that it's been here for so long and so many generations have come through it and they've all found something different in it which is special to them and that was reflected in the atmosphere today.

"It has a place in people’s hearts which is quite special and you can't create that or market it, it's got to be earned by people coming back".