| Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire is a region | | | | of Japan's mighty Mitsubishi empire. His family home, |
| overflowing with art and culture. A dazzling range of | | | | Glover House, can be visited at Bridge of Don on the |
| art galleries, museums and theatres, many located in | | | | outskirts of the city. Thomas Blake Glover is today |
| the imposing granite buildings which are enduring | | | | revered in Japan as being one of the founders of |
| symbols of the city, certainly won't disappoint. | | | | modern Japan. He had a crucial role in the |
| At its heart is Union Terrace Gardens, nestling below | | | | industrialisation of Japan and in the introduction of |
| the imposing backdrop of three of Aberdeen's finest | | | | Western developments in manufacturing, while helping |
| granite buildings. Together the Central Library, St Mark's | | | | to overthrow the Shogun and restoring the rightful heir |
| Church and His Majesty's Theatre known locally as | | | | to the Imperial Throne of Japan. His personal life may |
| 'Education, Salvation and Damnation' provide the key to | | | | also have provided the basis for the Madam Butterfly |
| the evolution of the region's cultural life. | | | | story, immortalised in the opera by Puccini. |
| With such a prosperous heritage, there are many | | | | The house has been recreated as Glover would have |
| splendid places that capture the colourful history of | | | | known it in the 1860s. A guided tour will help explore |
| Aberdeen- - the impressive turreted Town House on | | | | Glover's story, and visitors will see an authentic |
| Union Street; the castellated Citadel at The Castlegate | | | | Victorian Parlour, Dining Room, Bedroom and Victorian |
| and the striking grandeur of Marischal College. In old | | | | Kitchen, as well as admiring Samurai armour and other |
| Aberdeen you can discover the past by visiting 500 | | | | Japanese memorabilia. |
| year old University Kings College and St Machar's | | | | Music and Theatre |
| Cathedral. Old Aberdeen, which surrounds the | | | | The Music Hall has been the heart of entertainment in |
| University, is like taking a step back in time, with its | | | | the city for over 180 years. Formerly the city's |
| tranquil cobbled streets and narrow walkways. | | | | Assembly Rooms, it was designed by the celebrated |
| Museums and Galleries | | | | architect Archibald Simpson. It now features more than |
| Art enthusiasts will love Aberdeen. The city's Art | | | | 200 performances a year from pop to country and |
| Gallery, which was opened in 1885, houses a | | | | classical to contemporary and regularly plays host to |
| wonderful collection of Scottish and international works | | | | the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish |
| and contemporary exhibitions. It is the largest public | | | | Chamber Orchestra, and the BBC Scottish Symphony |
| gallery in the North of Scotland and one of the city's | | | | orchestra, as well as a variety of pop/rock concerts |
| most popular tourist attractions. A beautiful granite | | | | and the annual Aberdeen International Youth Festival. |
| building with a striking marble lined interior, it houses a | | | | For larger 'stadium' style events, Aberdeen Exhibition |
| varied collection of works of art, including outstanding | | | | and Conference centre is the North's premier facility |
| examples of Modern Art, and work by the | | | | for major rock and pop concerts, sporting events, |
| Impressionists and the Scottish Colourists. Visitors can | | | | public shows and exhibitions. |
| also see contemporary craft, Aberdeen silver and a | | | | Aberdeen's music scene includes a variety of live |
| wide range of decorative art and there are regular | | | | music venues including pubs, clubs and church choirs. |
| changing displays and special exhibitions, events and | | | | The bars of Belmont Street are particularly known for |
| activities. | | | | featuring live music. Ceilidhs are also sometimes held in |
| There are also many smaller galleries worth seeking | | | | the city's halls. |
| out within the city and Aberdeenshire, while local artists | | | | His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen, which first opened |
| are often displays on the walls of the region's | | | | its doors in 1906, continues to attract an eclectic range |
| restaurants. | | | | of top quality theatre productions from West End |
| Marischal Museum holds the principal collections of the | | | | musicals to opera, ballet, contemporary dance, drama |
| University of Aberdeen, comprising some 80,000 items | | | | and much more. Acclaimed performances of Grease, |
| in the areas of fine art, Scottish history and | | | | Chicago, Miss Saigon and Equus have all been |
| archaeology, and European, Mediterranean and Near | | | | enthusiastically received by sell-out audiences. |
| Eastern archaeology. The permanent displays and | | | | For art house cinema and independent productions, |
| reference collections are augmented by regular | | | | head for The Belmont Picturehouse on Belmont |
| temporary exhibitions. The museum is in the old building | | | | Cinema, and don't forget to take a look at Aberdeen |
| of Marischal College, on Broad Street, the second | | | | Arts Centre, the venue for the region's many excellent |
| largest granite building in the world (after the Escorial, | | | | drama groups which reliably stage first class musical |
| Madrid) which will soon also become the headquarters | | | | theatre and drama. |
| of Aberdeen City Council. | | | | Events and festivals |
| The 16th century Provost Skene's House is now one | | | | Aberdeen is home to a host of events and festivals |
| of the city's few remaining examples of medieval | | | | including the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (the |
| architecture. It contains an attractive series of period | | | | world's largest arts festival for young performers), |
| room settings, recalling the graceful furnishings of | | | | Aberdeen Jazz festival, Rootin Aboot (folk and roots |
| earlier times. The displays include a suite of 17th | | | | music event) Triptych (Scottish music) and the |
| century rooms, a Regency Parlour and an Edwardian | | | | University of Aberdeen's literature festival, Word. |
| Nursery. Visitors can also see a unique series of | | | | Inspired by over half a century of rich musical tradition |
| religious paintings in the painted gallery, where scenes | | | | under the direction of Lady Aberdeen, the Summer |
| from the life of Christ can be found on the ceiling. | | | | Music Festival at Haddo House has also become a |
| The Tolbooth on Castle Street was built between 1616 | | | | firm fixture in the Aberdeen City and Shire cultural |
| and 1629. Formerly known as the Wardhouse, it was a | | | | calendar, |
| gaol for those awaiting either trial in the adjacent court | | | | Cultural influences within the region may have been |
| or punishment. Now the home of Aberdeen's Museum | | | | many and varied and all warmly welcomed, but the |
| of Civic History it focuses on the history of crime and | | | | Aberdeen character remains firmly grounded in the |
| punishment within the city. Here you can visit the | | | | traditions of the past. The local dialect Doric is often |
| original cells where witches, debtors, criminals and | | | | celebrated in poetry readings and literature, there are |
| felons spent their days. The Museum features an | | | | many highland games throughout the region which |
| extensive programme of events for all ages with a | | | | keep alive the traditional 'heavy' sports such as caber |
| variety of talks on aspects of local history and | | | | tossing, while highland dancing and bagpipe or fiddle |
| exhibitions featuring objects related to Mary Queen of | | | | playing are still popular choices with youngsters taking |
| Scots, James VI, crime and medieval instruments of | | | | up music and dance. |
| punishment. | | | | If you are lucky enough to be visiting for Hogmanay, |
| Situated on the historic Shiprow, the award-winning | | | | the Stonehaven Fireball Festival is a unique event not |
| Aberdeen Maritime museum also incorporates Provost | | | | to be missed. To welcome in the New Year, a |
| Ross's house, which was built in 1593. The museum | | | | procession swinging huge fireballs over their heads |
| tells the story of the city's long relationship with the | | | | walks through the town before flinging their fireballs into |
| sea, from the days of sail and clipper ships to the | | | | the sea. Street entertainment and a firework display |
| latest oil and gas exploration technology. This unique | | | | add to the atmosphere. |
| collection covers ship-building, fast sailing ships, fishing | | | | Literary Connections |
| and port history and is the only place in the UK where | | | | Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Treasure Island while |
| you can see displays on the North Sea oil industry. It | | | | staying in Braemar in the summer of 1881 and Lord |
| includes an 8.5m (28 feet) high model of the Murchison | | | | Byron lived in Aberdeen in his early life, attending |
| oil production platform and nineteenth century lenses | | | | Aberdeen Grammar School. Named George Gordon |
| from Rattray Head Lighthouse. | | | | Byron after his grandfather, George Gordon of Gight, |
| On the outskirts of the city The Gordon Highlanders | | | | an Aberdeenshire laird, Byron bore Royal blood, |
| Museum is home to the regimental treasures of the | | | | descended through his mother from King James 1. In |
| world-famous Gordon Highlanders and tells the exciting | | | | his epic poem, Dark Lochnagar, he described the |
| story of one of Scotland's best-known regiments, while | | | | 'steep frowning glories' of one of Deeside's most |
| in the countryside near Maryculter, Blairs Museum of | | | | famous mountains. |
| Scotland's catholic heritage displays an interesting | | | | South of Aberdeen you'll find the Lewis Grassic |
| collections of paintings, church textiles, silver and | | | | Gibbon visitors centre, which celebrates the life and |
| Jacobite memorabilia, including a full length memorial | | | | times of the region's most noteworthy literary figure. |
| portrait of Mary Queen of Scots dressed as she was | | | | Grassic Gibbon grew up in the village of Arbuthnott in |
| on the day of her execution. | | | | the early 20th century. His most famous work, A |
| The Japanese Connection | | | | Scots Quair, and in particular Sunset Song, document |
| One of the most influential of the region's historical | | | | his life there and have become a Scottish classic. |
| figures is Thomas Blake Glover, (1838-1911), the founder | | | | |