History events in Edinburgh
View all the upcoming History events taking place throughout Edinburgh below or use the calendar to find events taking place on a specific month or date.
Events in Edinburgh
Curious About Edinburgh - Quirky Heritage Walks for the Curious!
Have fun discovering Edinburgh on this quirky, self-guided, heritage walk with a treasure hunt theme from Curious About!
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McLuckie & Walker Online Exhibition
Visit this online exhibition and celebrate the legacy of architects Andrew McLuckie & Ronald Walker! They designed over 200 buildings in Stirling between 1886 and 1911.
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Lecture: Beyond Hornel: Scottish Photographers in Meiji Japan
This talk will examine the history of Scottish expatriates in nineteenth-century Japan and their contribution to the photography networks and communities in their adopted country.
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Lecture: Broughton House & Garden
Join Dr Samuel Gallacher for a talk on Broughton House & Garden. The property is home to many of the paintings and photographs on display in the exhibition E. A. Hornel: From Camera to Canvas.
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The Art of Dying and the History of Chloroform
Join authors Ambrose Parry (Dr Marisa Haetzman & Chris Brookmyre) to discuss their new historical novel of medicine & murder, The Art of Dying.
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Lecture: Artist, Model, Collector: Photography in the Life and Work of Mary Cameron
This lecture offers fresh insights into a fascinating artist. Dr Helen Scott is Curator of Fine Art at the City Art Centre, and author of Mary Cameron: Life in Paint.
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Documentation and Digitisation of Historic Photographs at the National Trust for Scotland Lecture
In this talk, Lily Barnes will pull back the curtain on the intricacies of working hands-on with historic photographs.
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Lecture: E. A. Hornel: From Camera to Canvas: An Introduction
Join curator Ben Reiss for an introduction to the exhibition E. A. Hornel: From Camera to Canvas.
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Adult Creative Workshop: Introduction to Pinhole photography - POSTPONED
Join us at City Art Centre for a special half day workshop exploring pinhole cameras!
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Blood and Guts: The Twists and Turns of Edinburgh’s Medical History
Join Surgeons Hall Museums on their 5* weekend walking tour through Edinburgh’s old town and hear tales of old Edinburgh, disease, dissection and curious methods of treatment!
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Lecture: Through the Artist’s Gaze: The Feminine Ideal in E.A. Hornel’s Work
Marianne Fossaluzza, a PhD student in Visual Culture at the University of Aberdeen, gives this lecture on The Feminine Ideal in E.A. Hornel’s Work.
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Lecture: Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s
The 1920s was a period of contrasts: This lecture explores the events, ideas and styles that shaped Scottish art during this fascinating decade.
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Digital Lecture: Victorian Spiritualism: The Fox Sisters and the World they Created
Ash Pryce is a stage mentalist and founder of the Edinburgh Skeptics society. In his first traditional lecture in more than a decade, he will be looking at the world of the Victorian Occult.
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Archie Brennan: Tapestry Goes Pop!
Archie Brennan: Tapestry Goes Pop! tells the story of Edinburgh native Archie Brennan (1931-2019) in the first-ever major retrospective of his work.
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Descriptive Tour for visually impaired visitors of Bright Shadows - Scottish Art in the 1920s
Join artist Tessa Asquith-Lamb for a tour specifically designed for visually impaired visitors focussing on our exhibition Bright Shadows - Scottish art in the 1920s.
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The Housewarming
It’s the year 1905 and The Reids of Lauriston Castle, at the forefront of modern technology, have invited some guests to Lauriston in order to showcase these latest innovations!
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Proposed and Seconded: The Royal Scottish Academy Nomination Books of the 1920s
This talk given by Alice Strang will focus on the women artists proposed and seconded for election by male allies, including Dorothy Johnstone, Cecile Walton and John Duncan.
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Lecture: Roaring Sound: The Instruments of the Jazz Era
This talk will give a brief introduction of jazz as a style of music and explore the different instruments played in a typical jazz band of the 1920s.
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Curator’s Tour - Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s
Dr Helen Scott, Curator of Fine Art, provides a tour of the exhibition Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s.
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Lecture: Patrick Geddes’ Evergreen and Charles Mackie
Murdo Macdonald gives this talk on Patrick Geddes’ Evergreen and Charles Mackie at City Art Centre on Thursday 3rd June.
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Lecture: The Brave New World of Edwardian Book Illustration and Design
Join Jonathan Wild, Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh, for this talk on the design and illustration of books during the Edwardian period.
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Costumed Performance: Supporting the War Effort
It's the year 1916 with Mr and Mrs Reid planning a major event to raise money to support the conduct of the war. Walk through the Castle on a special tour watching the performance unfold.
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Leith 2020: An Archival look at Leith
This talk at Lauriston Castle explores the rich heritage of Leith and its unique identity.
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Descriptive Tour of Lauriston Castle for Visually Impaired Visitors
Join artist Tessa Asquith-Lamb for a tour specifically designed for visually impaired visitors around fascinating Lauriston Castle.
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Leith 2020: Leith Theatre Past Present and Future
The joint speakers will outline the chequered history of Leith Theatre, where it is now and where it might go in the future.
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Lecture: Charles H. Mackie: Colour and Light
This lecture will set Charles H. Mackie’s art in the context of his life. His Scottish artistic roots underpinned his engagement with French art and continental ideas.
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Lecture: Addressing slavery and Empire at the National Trust for Scotland
Join Jennifer Melville, Head of Curatorial & Conservation Services at the National Trust for Scotland, for this lecture at Lauriston Castle!
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Lecture: With the Royal Scots in Gallipoli
This lecture explores the journey of The Dardenelles - Edinburgh's Royal Scots Territorials - who were the first waves of the seaborne offensive that aimed to end WW1.
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Lecture: Playing with the Past
What can Archaeology tell us about the world’s most popular sport? Archaeology Scotland will discuss some of its and others recent work on the archaeology and history of Football.
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BSL Interpreted Tour of Charles H. Mackie: Colour and Light
Join us for a tour of our Charles H. Mackie exhibition which will have a BSL interpreter present.
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Lecture: Murder, Power and … Pineapples?
Come along for a talk from archaeologist Doug Rocks-Macqueen about recent excavations of pineries in the Lothians and Falkirk!
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BSL interpreted tour of Lauriston Castle
Join us for a BSL signed tour of Lauriston Castle and step back in time as you experience life in Edwardian Edinburgh!
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Lecture: Playing Cricket with the Nabis: Charles H. Mackie’s French Connections
This lecture given by Belinda Thomson, Honorary Professor in art history at the University of Edinburgh, examines the influences of French Art in the work of Charles H. Mackie.
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Lecture: A Curious Flowering: The Hydros in Scotland in the 19th Century
Join Jane Neil-MacLachlan, writer and novelist under the pen name of Jane Tulloch, for this lecture on Hydropathic institutions in Scotland in the 19th Century!
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Lecture: The Morton Photography Project at the National Trust for Scotland
Dr Antonia Laurence Allen will share collections, stories and projects from properties as diverse as Canna House, Brodie Castle and Tenement House at Lauriston Castle on 19th August.
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Descriptive tour for Visually Impaired Visitors of Charles H. Mackie: Colour and Light
Join artist Tessa Asquith-Lamb for a tour specifically designed for visually impaired visitors focusing on the Charles H. Mackie: Colour and Light exhibition!
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Lecture: Earls, Maids, Dames and Gardeners
Vicky Garrington shares some key pieces from Edinburgh Museums & Galleries large and important costume collection.
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Lecture: Ghosts of Edinburgh
Join Ash Pryce, stage mentalist and former Ghost Tour Guide, as he tells tales of Edinburgh’s old and ghostly world!
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Costumed Performance: A Fairley Interesting Look at Lauriston
It’s the year 1923. Join Mrs Reid, her housekeeper Mrs Mackay and her steward and friend, John Fairleyus as they reflect on the many interesting people connected with the house and estate!
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Lecture: Heroines of the Canongate: Women as Urban and Social Reformers in the Edwardian Old Town
This talk offers a different account of urban reform in Edwardian Edinburgh. It explores the many people who worked together to change the living conditions of the communities in the city’s Old Town
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Lecture: Enlightened Golfers
This talk given by Jim Scanlon, a member of Leith local history society and Leith Rules Golf Society, will explore the variety of notable people who have played golf on Leith Links.
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Scots at War at the Castle
Join Scots at War for an interactive family experience where you can join Scotland's army of yesterday- today!
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Lecture: Charles Hodge Mackie and the Celtic Revival in Scotland and France
This lecture explores the influence of both Scottish and French art on Charles Mackie through a consideration of the work he produced in the 1890s.
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Burns V McGonagall: An evening with Scotland’s best poet and arguably the worst!
William McGonagall has long been regarded as ‘the worst poet in the history of the English language’. Join Scots actor Jock Ferguson for an evening of anecdotes and stories and a wee dram in betwe
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Lecture: Discovering Leith through Maps
This lecture given by Laragh Quinney will consider how Leith has been depicted on maps from the 16th century to the present day.
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Lecture: A Guid Cause Maks a Strong Arm
This talk explores the ‘gists, the ‘gettes and the fight for female emancipation, viewed by some as a campaign and by others as a war.
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Curator’s Tour of Charles H. Mackie: Colour and Light
Join Dr Helen Scott, Curator of Fine Art, for a tour of the exhibition Charles H. Mackie: Colour and Light!
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Dan Snow’s History Hit
Dan Snow brings his award-winning, chart-topping podcast and online TV channel 'History Hit' live to The Queen's Hall.
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Lecture: E. A. Hornel: from Camera to Canvas
This talk by Dr Antonia Laurence Allen is about Scottish artist Edward Atkinson Hornel and illustrates how Hornel’s travels and use of photographs influenced his artistic practice.
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Lecture: Leith 2020: A Photographic Walk Through Time
Fraser Parkinson will illustrate the rich heritage of Leith through photographs, showing the history and changing face of Leith from the mid-1850s to the present day.
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Lecture: Distant lives: The Earliest Photographs of St Kilda
In 1860 Capt. F.W.L. Thomas sailed to St Kilda to take the first ever photographs of St Kilda. This is the story of the quest to give these St Kildans back their identity and to tell their story.
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Lecture: Tokens of Festive Magic: The Victorian Christmas
Join artist Tessa Asquith-Lamb for an exploration of the 19th century Christmas through antique objects, many from her own collection which inspire her intricate etchings.
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Lecture: Upstairs, Downstairs: Glamorous gowns to working dress
Vicky Garrington explores a variety of historic dress from a much-mended maid’s uniform of the early 20th century to a sumptuous 18th century silk dress scattered with tulips.
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Descriptive Tour for Visually Impaired Visitors of Lauriston Castle at Christmas
Join us for a special Christmas Tour at Lauriston Castle specifically designed for visually impaired visitors.
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Events in East Renfrewshire
Events in Fife
Scotland’s Coasts - CANCELLED
This exhibition, drawn from Historic Environment Scotland's archives, explores Scotland's relationship to the sea and its impact on everyday life.
Gaelic in the Fife Landscape
Enjoy a unique look at the landscape of central Fife and the languages that have helped shape it at this free online event!
Events in Glasgow
Curious About Glasgow
Have fun discovering Glasgow with a self-guided, heritage walk with a treasure hunt theme from Curious About!
Historic Tours of Glasgow University
Join a Historic Tour of the University of Glasgow the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world!
The Lighthouse Building Tours
The Lighthouse hold tours every Saturday, they offer a great opportunity to learn about The Lighthouse building, but also about the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the city he was born in!
Largs Viking Festival & Festival of Fire
The 2021 Largs Viking Festival & Festival of Fire, marking the 1263 Battle of Largs, will be held between the 28th August and 5th September!
Clydebuilt Festival
Back for a fourth year, the Clydebuilt Festival will return to the Riverside Museum and The Tall Ship at Riverside on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th of September 2021!
Events in Lanarkshire
Events in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde
Guided Tours of Paisley Abbey
Built in the 12th century and steeped in history, Paisley Abbey is a fascinating building to visit, find out more on one of the regular guided tours!
Events in Stirling and Falkirk
Scotland’s National Hero - POSTPONED
Who was William Wallace? Listen as a costumed actor gives you an insight into the life of Scotland’s National Hero.
Events in Other Areas
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