ASVA E-ZINE

Welcome to the April 2024 edition of the ASVA E-Zine

asva.co.uk [email protected] 07458 306982

People’s Palace launches ‘last chance to see’ campaign, before closing for major refurbishment

March 2024

People are being encouraged to visit the People’s Palace, Glasgow before it closes on Sunday 14 April for major refurbishment. Funding secured from The National Lottery Heritage Fund means the next stage of a transformational project can begin, which will completely reimagine and restore the much-loved museum and Winter Gardens glasshouse.

Glasgow Life, the charity which delivers culture and sport in the city, today (Tuesday 20 February) launched a ‘Last chance to see’ campaign. It urges locals, and visitors to the city, to make time to take in the many treasures on display in the popular People’s Palace over the next eight weeks.

Set in historic Glasgow Green, the iconic building is home to collections documenting the city’s social history from 1750 to the present day. Highlights include an opportunity to reminisce about Glasgow past at the single end, Steamie and Buttercup Dairy displays. For others, prized objects include the bright Barrowland sign, and iconic banana boots worn by one of Scotland’s favourite comedians, Billy Connolly.

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “Having received the Heritage Fund award last month thanks to National Lottery players, we are keen to get started revitalising the People’s Place and Winter Gardens. It’s what the local community have been calling for. Like them we are eager to move forward with our vision to reimagine the whole place and create a dynamic community-led museum and flexible space, which will foster new ways to promote inclusion, access, and participation, and minimise its impact on the environment.

“With spring on the horizon and the school holidays only a few weeks away, I would encourage as many people as possible to grab this last chance to see the Palace before we close the doors and continue to work with local communities on this exciting transformation.”

Once closed, the vision to restore the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens as a vibrant museum and thriving community space will begin in earnest.

The development phase will take around 16 months. To begin with, a specialist project team will be brought together with the remit of championing the successful community-centred approach used to great acclaim at The Burrell Collection.

By collaborating with local people, and using their views, insights, and opinions to shape all aspects of the refurbishment, the aim is to transform the space and displays to make the building more accessible for all. Glasgow Life will continue engaging with the city’s communities on collecting, object interpretation and programming. Together they will start to develop the main stories that will feature in the ‘new’ People’s Palace, ensuring more heritage is on display in the refreshed museum.

The operational services and fabric of the building will also be refurbished. Initially, investigative work will be carried out to confirm the condition of the building and inform detailed reports that will allow contractors to be appointed.

This ambitious project will improve the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens’ environmental sustainability, creating a greener, world-class, local museum. It will protect an invaluable cultural and heritage asset for generations to come and put the East End of Glasgow on the tourist map.

Work will start with the careful transfer of the People’s Palace Collection to publicly accessible Glasgow Museum stores.

Ahead of this monumental project to revitalise both the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens, aficionados and those who have still to visit for the first time are being encouraged to seize this last chance to see a cherished museum, which holds a special place in the heart of many Glaswegians, before it closes on Sunday 14 April.

Further information, including opening hours, can be found here.

Photograph: Come and see all of this before the doors close until 2027

« back

Member News

Stirling Old Town Jail Awarded Coveted Five-Star Grading by VisitScotland Quality Assurance Scheme
Stirling Old Town Jail has proudly achieved a prestigious five-star grading from the VisitScotland Quality Assurance Scheme.
Read more »

Edinburgh Zoo Named Best Zoo in Scotland
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo has been named the best zoo to visit in Scotland by TripAdvisor, the world’s biggest travel guidance platform.
Read more »

Summerlee Celebrates Four Millionth Visitor
Summerlee Museum of Industrial life welcomed its four millionth visitor since opening its doors in 1988.
Read more »

Research Reveals Da Vinci Code Impact at Rosslyn Chapel - 21 Years After Publication
Visitors to Rosslyn Chapel are still strongly influenced by its role in The Da Vinci Code according to new research undertaken to mark the 21st anniversary of the book, which was first published on 18th March 2003.
Read more »

Internationally Acclaimed Artists Join Kelpies Tenth Anniversary Celebrations
The creator and sculptor of the iconic Kelpies at The Helix, one of Scotland’s top visitor attractions, Andy Scott, has returned to Scotland from his home in Los Angeles, California, in advance of the tenth anniversary celebrations of the world- renowned equine structures, as the latest star to perform at Kelpies 10 on 27 April 2024, is announced.
Read more »

The Search is on for Scotland’s Nature Tourism Champions
Whether you are a pioneering business or a collaborative partnership, this is your moment to be celebrated. With headline sponsor NatureScot, RSPB are recognising the people and initiatives protecting Scotland’s nature – open to all.
Read more »

Major Exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk to Open at V&A Dundee
The fascinating story of the style, appeal and influence of the kimono is explored in a major exhibition opening at V&A Dundee on Saturday 4 May.
Read more »

The National Trust for Scotland Launches Global Access to its Robert Burns Collection
Over 2,500 historic items from the National Trust for Scotland’s internationally important collections from the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway are now available to explore from anywhere in the world.
Read more »

Verdant Works Undergoes Brand Refresh with Thanks to UK Shared Prosperity Fund
Scotland’s only jute museum, founded in a refurbished 1833 mill in the heart of Dundee - the city once coined ‘juteopolis’ - has undergone a brand refresh, with thanks to funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Read more »

Introducing ‘LemurLounge’: A New Chapter in Enrichment at Blair Drummond Safari Park
Blair Drummond Safari Park are proud to announce their latest collaboration with researchers from the University of Glasgow to introduce groundbreaking enrichment for zoo lemurs.
Read more »

Learn About 17th Century Medicine at The Real Mary King’s Close
The Real Mary King’s Close launched its brand-new Medical History Tours, a unique guided experience which takes guests on a journey through the fascinating development of medicine through time.
Read more »

Aberdeen Science Centre Promotes Inclusivity with New Sensory Space
Aberdeen Science Centre has introduced a new Sensory Space to support visitors that could feel overwhelmed or overstimulated whilst at the centre.
Read more »

Get Your Quack On! Dalkeith Country Park to Host Doddie Duck Race in Support of My Name'5 Doddie Foundation
Grab your rubber duckies and mark your calendars because Dalkeith Country Park is gearing up for a quack-tastic charity event - the Doddie Duck Race!
Read more »