Venues across Angus will be welcoming visitors on 7 and 8 September 2024 when they take part in this year’s Doors Open Days.
Doors Open Days is Scotland’s largest free festival, celebrating places and stories, new and old.
2024 marks the 35th year of Doors Open Days, a festival that sees organisations and volunteers offer free access to sites and events across Scotland. The festival aims to ensure that Scotland’s built and cultural heritage is made accessible to everyone living in and visiting the country.
There are over 20 venues taking part in Doors Open Days across Angus in 2024 – take a look and see what’s on offer and start planning your weekend!
Doors Open Days venues in Arbroath
Abbey Theatre is an entirely volunteer run amateur dramatics club based in Arbroath, putting on five plays and a panto each year. Come along to enjoy a look around the auditorium and backstage spaces, and hear about upcoming productions taking place.
Arbroath Fire Station is an operational fire station with both wholetime and on call personnel. During Doors Open Days, volunteers will be on hand to give visitors a tour of the station and a talk around the fire engines and the various pieces of equipment.
Arbroath Royal Observer Corps Post Museum is a relic of the Cold War. Book a guided tour which will take you 15 feet down a vertical ladder to the underground Monitoring Room to hear about the important role of the Royal Observer Corps.
Friockheim Park Community Volunteers is a small community group who carry out works at Friockheim Park, the public toilets and in and around the village. Come and enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the community building and find out a bit more about what the group do.
The Mortuary Chapel was designed by Patrick Allan-Fraser as a memorial to his late wife, and is notable for its eclectic mix of styles, including reference to Scottish, English and possibly other precedents from East European Gothic. Enjoy a guided tour of the chapel led by volunteer tour guides.
Sacred Grounds is a small artisan coffee roastery, roasting coffee on Fatima, their 5kg Toper machine. Come and hear the story of coffee from field to cup, sample different coffee origins and hear more about the roasting process.
The historic church at St Vigeans was consecrated in 1242, although there is evidence of much earlier worship taking place at this site. Come along for a visit to see some of the interesting features of the church, including beautiful stained glass windows, Consecration crosses and carved stones.
Doors Open Days venues in Carnoustie
Angus Alchemy are a small distillery based near Carnoustie, making award-winning Moonshine and Gin. Pay a visit to see a distillery like no other, with with rock music playing and plenty of quirky things to look at.
WeeCOOK Kitchen is a quirky Carnoustie based cafe, restaurant & pie makers renowned for proper great fresh tasty food and good vibes! Join the WeeCOOK crew for an immersive and interactive pie making masterclass during Doors Open Days.
Doors Open Days venues in Forfar and Aberlemno
Specialising in family history, house history, and local history, Angus Archives providing expert assistance for all research purposes. During Doors Open Day, Angus Archives will host a display looking at the Parishes of Angus, with original collections, photographs, and documents highlighting the rural areas of Angus and how they’ve shaped the county.
Balmashanner Monument on Balmashanner Hill, known locally as “Bummie”, was built in 1920/1 in memory of the men of Forfar and District who fell in the Great War 1914-18. Come and enjoy the spectacular views from the top of the tower.
The Davidson family, founders of the world-famous Harley-Davidson Motor Company®, has its roots in the tiny village of Aberlemno near the small market town of Brechin in Angus. Drop in during Doors Open Days for a tour of Davidson Legacy Cottage and hear about how the Davidson family lived before emigrating.
Enjoy a guided walk led by local historian Norman Atkinson, taking in the core of the medieval Royal Burgh of Forfar. “East ee toon, wast ee toon, doon the Spoot and hame” was how this was described by Forfarians of yesteryear.
Join ANGUSalive at Meffan Museum & Art Gallery for a behind the scenes tour to learn more about the World Cultures Collection, exploring objects from Africa, Asia and Oceania collected for the people of Angus over the last 200 years.
The Pictish Room is part of Aberlemno Village Hall and provides information on the Pictish heritage of Angus and beyond. Come along and hear about the Picts in Angus from friendly volunteers, or book to take part in one of the guided walks.
Doors Open Days venues in Kirriemuir
Ainetheon Arts are an Independent Gallery and Working Studio welcoming art lovers, collectors, creatives and artists to browse and purchase artworks as well as a place to be creative. During Doors Open Days, the Gallery will be open for visitors to view their exhibition “Oot an’ Aboot in Kirrie”. The Studio will be open for demonstrations, talks and audience participation.
Camera Obscura, one of only three in Scotland, is housed in a purpose-designed turret room in the Barrie Pavilion on Kirrie Hill. It provides a fascinating glimpse of historic technology and striking views of the surrounding countryside. Drop in and enjoy the views from this unique historic attraction and hear tales of local people and places.
Doors Open Days venues in Montrose
Montrose Basin is an enclosed estuary of the River South Esk, covering 750 hectares of tidal mudflats offering feeding and roosting ground to a plethora of bird species. The visitor centre has excellent telescopes and binoculars, which you can use at our panoramic viewing windows. During Doors Open Days, take advantage of free entry to drop in and learn about the history and geology of the Montrose Basin through our interpretation, and then learn all about its wildlife while you’re watching it.
Doors Open Days venues in Monifieth and Newtyle & Sidlaw
Holy Trinity Scottish Episcopal Church is a small black and white church with a red tiled roof situated at the eastern end of the High Street in Monifieth. The church is over 100 hundred years old and is set in well-kept grounds, with a Prayer Garden in front and wooden hall to the rear. During Doors Open Day, come and see inside this lovely building and be given a guided tour with explanation of the activities that go on during services.
St Marnock’s Church in Fowlis as it now stands was built in 1453, although there has been a House of Prayer on this site from about 1150. The church contains unique Pre-Reformation paintings of national significance being amongst the earliest known paintings in Scotland. There is an aumbry, or sacrament-house, where sacred vessels were kept – one of the finest of its kind in the country. Drop in for a visit to see these features and more.
See our Doors Open Days programme for full details of the venues that are participating in Doors Open Days. Please note that while Doors Open Days events are free, some require advance booking.
Find out more about the events and activities that will be on in September throughout the rest of Scotland during Doors Open Days by visiting the Doors Open Days website.
