To visit the Burrell Collection you can complete the booking form here

This visit is fully booked.

This trip to Nice & the Côte d'Azur will be from Friday 02 - Wednesday 07 May 2025.

If you are interested click below for further details:

• Trip Brochure
• Trip Booking Conditions
• Trip Interactive Booking Form

VISIT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED

Our spring visit will be to Ardkinglas House on Loch Fyne near Cairndow, Argyll. The house was completed in 1907 and is generally considered to be the architect Sir Robert Lorimer’s masterpiece. It is still a much-loved home owned by the descendents of the Noble family, David and Virginia Sumsion.

The gardens have noteworthy specimens of magnolia and azalea so they should be in full bloom for our visit.

Our autumn 2023 visit is a full day visit to the National Trust property, The House of Dun and a chance to visit the Angus Folk Museum in their grounds.

The house is a baroque extravagance by William Adam with stunning vistas overlooking Montrose Basin and set amid glorious gardens and woodland. House of Dun is every inch the perfect 18th-century laird’s home.
The Angus Folk Museum is housed in the courtyard of House of Dun and we will have time to discover the fascinating history of rural life in the region and explore the important role played by the horse and the plough, as well as learn how vital the agricultural industry is to Scotland.

A booking form is in the document library

Our spring 2023 visit is a full day filled with pattern and colour at Dovecot Studios and the most historic pathology collections in the UK at Surgeons’ Hall Museum in Edinburgh.

At the Dovecot Studios we will have a guided tour of the exhibition “Kaffe Fassett the Power of Pattern” followed by a tour of the Tapestry Studio.

Kaffe Fassett is one of the most successful artists and designers working in contemporary craft today. His career spans over 50 years with a prolific oeuvre that encompasses knitting, needlepoint, mosaic, quilting, textile design, painting and drawing. His books and projects have encouraged millions to make and to create, with his designs being used and interpreted by quilters around the globe.

The exhibition explores Fassett’s world, drawing on original artworks from invited international makers as well as Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably, textiles works, photographs and archival material to illuminate the work of this distinctive, influential artist and designer.

After lunch we will walk the short distance to Surgeons’ Hall Museum. The museum is one of Scotland’s oldest. It was opened in 1832, uncovering centuries of surgical development with a re-constructed anatomy theatre as a centrepiece. During the guided tour we will be told the true story of Burke and Hare.

We are off to the opera to see the Royal Opera House in a performance of Turandot by Puccini at 7.15 on Wednesday 22 March.  As before please book your tickets direct with the Macrobert Arts Centre and let Annette Potts know so that she can book the pre-theatre meal at the Stirling Court Hotel.  

Our spring 2022 visit is to Marchmont House in the Borders.

Marchmont House is an A listed 1750 Palladian Mansion which has some of the finest Georgian and Arts and Crafts interiors in Scotland. It has recently been restored by Hugo Burge. The former chief executive of digital travel company Momondo Group (which sold for $ 550 million in 2017) has also created a sculpture park which includes works by David Nash, Antony Gormley and Eduardo Paolozzi.

The booking form is in the Documents store

We had a beautiful day for our visit to Dumfries House and 29 members thoroughly enjoyed the gardens, the fine lunch in the marquee and the guided tour of the house.

At the time of writing, no arrangements have been put in place for a visit later this year.   Now that the Arts Society covers more than simply painting and sculpture, we wonder if a trip to the ballet or the theatre would be a possibility – the unfortunate thing is that we are unable to make arrangements at present with so many places closed down and not knowing what may be on offer.   

The Committee would welcome your thoughts on what we could do – maybe leave 2020 completely blank even, so if you would like to give us your thoughts, please feel free to do so and, as soon as ‘normality’ is restored, we can look at the proposals and make a decision at that time.

Isobel Munro, Visit Organiser

Monday 28 September to Thursday 1 October 2020 : Visit to South East Ireland (nb although this visit does not take place until the following session booking will be in 2019 - 20 session) 

Full details of these visits will follow later.

Sunday 26 April to Wednesday 29 April 2020 : Country Houses of Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire

IN LIGHT OF GOVERNMENT ADVICE ON 16TH MARCH TO LIMIT SOCIAL CONTACTS, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Note: Spring visit to be confirmed

Our visit begins in the town of Alloa where we will be given a conducted tour of Alloa Tower, a fine example of a late 14C fortified tower house and home of the Erskines, who were promoted to the Earldom of Mar in 1565. The Earls of Mar were great supporters of the Stewart dynasty and this is why they moved closer to Stirling, seen as the capital of Scotland at the time.

The Tower has some interesting family portraits along with a lovely collection of silver and items connecting the Tower to royalty, in particular Mary, Queen of Scots and her son James VI. The current Earl of Mar & Kellie will join us to tell us about his family history.

After lunch we will gather at the Cowden Japanese Garden near Dollar for a guided tour followed by the opportunity to take yourself on a Woodland Walk. The Gardens were created in 1907/08 by Taki Handa, the first and only Japanese woman credited with designing a garden of that nature. In the 1930s it was recognised as a particularly authentic example of a Japanese Garden, cared for by Shinzaburo Matsuo until his death in 1937. The Gardens were closed for 50 years; suffered extensive vandalism in the 1960s but in 2018 they were reopened after four years of restoration work under the guardianship of Sara Stewart - Sara is the daughter of Sir Robert Stewart of Arndean, the great nephew of Ella Christie who had the original gardens created on the Cowden Estate. Earlier this year the Gardens were visited by the Japanese Consul General, based in Edinburgh, when he planted 25 cherry trees as part of the Sakura Trees Project.

Time-table for the Day:

10.15am - Assemble at the entrance to Alloa Tower, FK10 1PL - maximum of 3 hours parking at Tesco nearby with limited parking next to the stable block close to the Tower

10.30am - Guided Tour of the Tower; NTS members remember to bring your Membership Card; non-NTS members will be charged £4 per person

12.30pm - Lunch - to make your own arrangements - once your place on the visit is confirmed I will supply suggestion for lunch if required - there are various places in Clackmannanshire.

2.15pm - Meet in the car park at the Cowden Japanese Garden, FK14 7PL

2.30pm - Guided Tour of the Gardens followed by time to take yourself round the Woodland Walks You will note that no refreshments have been booked, either at the Tower or the Japanese Gardens - this is very much a day for exploring Clackmannanshire if you are not already familiar with it - again happy to suggest venues.

People are encouraged to ‘car share’ as parking, especially at the Japanese Gardens, is limited - it may be that if you know who you are car sharing with that all booking forms for the people in a particular car are sent together. The charge is for the Guided Tour of the Japanese Gardens - it will be £9 per person.

The autumn visit will take us to two interesting, yet diverse, cultural centres of Edinburgh University. In the morning we will visit St Cecilia’s Hall, the oldest purpose-built concert hall in Scotland - a Georgian building designed by Robert Mylne for the Edinburgh Musical Society in 1763, which underwent refurbishment in recent years. The building brings together the University’s historic and unparalleled collection of musical instruments from across the globe, including its world-famous harpsichords. The collection is a Recognised Collection of National Significance to Scotland and if we are lucky we may hear some of the instruments being played during our visit.

On Thursday 7 June it is Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s 150th birthday and we are travelling to Helensburgh to celebrate by visiting the Hill House, the home he created for the Blackie family. We will then proceed to the Mackintosh Club. It was designed in 1894 by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, his first complete commission, and is now Helensburgh's Creative Hub for Architecture, Art, Design and Music.

**** This visit has now been cancelled ****

One hundred years ago this year, legislation was passed allowing women over thirty with property to vote, and women to be elected into Parliament. The first female MP was elected that year. Our visit to the Scottish Parliament celebrates these momentous anniversaries. Fiona McDougall, Art Curator & Exhibitions Manager, and the Events Team at Holyrood have created a unique day for the Arts Society. The day will start at 11am. We will have a buffet lunch in the beautiful Members’ Room and before and after lunch attendees will be divided into groups for: - The Art Tour - The Architecture Tour - The Literature Tour The day is open to Members and their guests and the cost is £40. This includes coffee, a glass of prosecco and lunch. The final running order of the day will be confirmed when we have an idea of the numbers and details will be issued with the tickets.

Please complete the booking form that you will find under Our Society/Documents

You are invited to join us on an amazing day viewing the architectural legacy of one of Glasgow’s
finest architects and designers, Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson - we will be accompanied throughout the
day by Roger Guthrie, a member of the Alexander Thomson Society who will tell us not only about
the various properties we will see but also about the architect himself and his contribution to Glasgow
in the mid to late 1800s.

We will begin our day by touring Holmwood House on the south side of Glasgow - seen as one of his
finest domestic designs and hear about the current conservation work taking place there.
As we make our way to the west end of Glasgow for lunch we will pass various other properties
designed by him in Polloksheilds and Strathbungo. Some properties will involve you coming out and
in of the coach while others will be viewed from the coach.

Following a ‘soup and sandwich’ lunch with tea/coffee and home baking we will visit properties in
three Terraces in the west end. We will then head into the city centre to view the St Vincent Street
Church and properties on Gordon Street and Sauchiehall Street before heading back home.

For more details and how to book, please see the Booking Form under Our Society/ Documents

*VISIT TO GLASGOW Thursday 10th November 2016
Our autumn visit is taking us west to the city of Glasgow. In the morning and over lunch time we will be visiting the Glasgow Art Club (established in 1867 by William Dennistoun) which has been based in its existing Bath Street premises since 1893.   It is a private members’ club, not solely for artists, but has been the meeting place for generations of Glasgow’s most innovative and creative inhabitants.  We will be served a light lunch. Immediately after lunch our coach will transport us to the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre.

 ​*For more details press the 'About Us' button, then click on 'Documents' and click on 'Autumn Visit to Glasgow'.

Hospitalfield, Arbroath - a fantastical Arts & Crafts house which was built between 1843 and 1890. From 1901 Hospitalfield became a meeting point for many generations of artists, teachers and art students from across Scotland - in the 21stC students also come from overseas.   The house, which is built on the site of a 12C Benedictine monastery, has an outstanding collection of paintings; drawings and sculpture displayed in a purpose built gallery.

This is a visit offered by the workers at the Cowane's Maintenance Trust to show us the areas which are not open to the public. The visit starts at 11:00. We have been offered tea and biscuits. I suggest we make a donation to the Hospital Trust.

Visits can be made on 9th from 2:00 or 10th from 10:30 of February and the tour should last about 1.5 hours. The work of the vounteers for the past four years is on view.  If you are interested in the visit contact Audrey Birrell, HV Representative, on 01786 860321 or email aualbirrell@btinternet.com.It is important to indicate interest by the 29th January.

Dalmeny House at South Queensferry is a Tudor Gothic Revival mansion and the home of the Earls of Rosebery. It is one of the greatest treasure houses of Scotland, including the pick of the Rothschild Mentmore collection (18th century French furniture); the 5th Lord Rosebery’s Napoleonic collection (very appropriate on the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo a week earlier) and paintings by Gainsborough, Raeburn, Reynolds and Lawrence.
There are also lovely views of the Firth of Forth from the landscaped gardens around the House. The visit will include a guided tour of the house followed by coffee in the dining room, surrounded by some interesting paintings.
Following lunch in South Queensferry, where you make your own arrangements - there are at least three bar/restaurants - we will travel to Dalmeny village and St Cuthbert’s Parish Church. Dalmeny is a planned village, having been built by the Earl of Rosebery between 1814 and 1817 to house estate workers, while St Cuthbert’s Church is the best preserved Norman Parish Church in Scotland with wonderful Romanesque architecture both externally and internally. One of the significant features added to the original structure was the Rosebery Aisle which was built on the north side of the church in 1671 - this comprised of an upper floor where the family could worship in comfort and privacy, with a family burial vault below.
Depart 9.00am sharp From beside the Albert Halls, Dumbarton Road, Stirling
Arrive 9.50am Arrive at Dalmeny House
10.00am Tour of the House in two Groups followed by coffee
12.15pm Depart from Dalmeny House to South Queensferry
1.45pm Depart from Hawes Pier to travel to Dalmeny Village
and St Cuthbert’s Parish Church - after a short introductory talk from Blue Badge Tourist Guide freedom to explore the Church and Village
Depart 3.15 pm Leave Dalmeny and return by coast road
Arrive 4.15 pm Albert Halls, Dumbarton Road, Stirling

A booking form for the visit can be downloaded in the DOCUMENTS section in the ABOUT US page

A £2.5 million refurbishment programme has recently restored the substantial 1920s building housing Kirkcaldy’s Library, Museum and Art Galleries to integrate them and reflect the town’s rich social and cultural history. Programme:  12noon   Welcome and introduction to the gallery by Gavin Grant (Collections & Exhibitions Team Leader) in the Activities Room. 12.30pm  light lunch at nearby Adam Smith Theatre cafe to meet with fellow members.

2.00pm  Talk by Jane Freel (Curator) on ‘Blyth, Peploe and the art collection’ in the Activities Room. 3.00pm onwards Viewing of three upstairs picture galleries with outstanding collection of mainly Scottish art works. Downstairs there will be a temporary exhibition by local crafts people and an exhibition of Diane Arbus’s work. The Galleries are open from 9.30am until 7.00pm on a Tuesday and the Wemyss cafe serves light refreshments all day.

Cost of  visit  £18 including soup and sandwich lunch with tea/coffee. Limit 35 places.

Galleries almost next door to Kirkcaldy railway station. Free car parking available.

To download an application form please go to the DOCUMENTS link in the ABOUT US page

Monday 01 - Friday 05 September 2014. Download full details of the tour in the DOCUMENTS link in the ABOUT US section on the website.

Walking Tour of Würzburg 
Perfectly located on the banks of the River Main, we shall discover the beautiful buildings of the Old Town, passing Dom St Kilian, one of Germany’s largest Romanesque churches; the historic Rathaus; the 11th century Neumünster Church; and the beautiful Alte Mainbrücke. 

Würzburg Residenz and Hofgarten 
The Residenz is one of Europe’s most renowned baroque palaces designed by the then relatively unknown architect, Balthasar Neumann. It was built to house the Würzburg Prince-Bishops, Johann Philipp Franz and Friedrich Karl von Schönborn, and is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. We shall enjoy a guided tour of the vast palace and also explore the glorious Hofgarten (Court Gardens), designed in German baroque style by the court gardener, Johann Prokop Mayer. 

Bamberg 
A full day will be spent in Bamberg, which also features on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List. The charming historic old town and medieval centre are a delight to explore. Visits will include the magnificent Cathedral, which dominates the city’s skyline. Dedicated to St Peter and St George, it is a perfect blend of late Romanesque and early Gothic architectural styles and noted for its beautiful equestrian statue entitled the Bamberg Rider and wealth of treasures within. Further visits include the New Residenz Palace, with over 40 sumptuous state rooms containing an astonishing array of fine furniture, tapestries and stucco ceilings; the beautiful courtyard Rose Garden; and the Old Court, which houses the Historical Museum, tracing the history and the development of the city and Franconia over the centuries. 

Mainfränkisches Museum, Würzburg 
We shall enjoy a guided tour of the Franconian Museum, housed in the splendid Fortress Marienberg. The displays chronicle the town’s history and one of the key highlights is the fine collection of Franconian art. 

Museum Am Dom, Würzburg 
This excellent museum, which opened in 2003, houses over 700 works of art spanning over 1000 years, from Georg Anton Urlaub and Johnann Zick to more contemporary works by Otto Dix, Käthe Kollwitz and Joseph Beuys. 

Veitshöchheim Summer Palace and Gardens 
We shall enjoy a boat trip from Würzburg to Veitshöchheim and visit the magnificent Summer Palace of the Würzburg Prince-Bishops, which was built in the 1680s and later enlarged by Balthasar Neumann. The Rococo Gardens are a particular delight to explore, with lakes, playful water features, fountains, and fine statuary 

Situated on the shores of Loch Fyne, the present house at Ardkinglas was completed in 1907 and is considered to be the masterpiece of Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer. It was built for wealthy industrialist Sir Andrew Noble at a time when traditional materials were still being skilfully and creatively mastered by expert craftsmen but also when a wealth of new technology could be incorporated into the design. Lorimer designed and commissioned every detail of the interior and there are still a few pieces of his furniture in the house, which remains a family home. The Woodland Garden has been described by Kenneth Cox as “the Gothic cathedral of west coast woodland gardens” with its tall conifer plantings (including 5 champion trees) dating from the mid nineteenth century and the now mature rhododendrons from 1905 onwards, when the estate was bought by the Noble family. We shall visit both the house and the garden with the option of lunch being taken at either the nearby Tree Shop or the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar.

DEPART 09.00am Sharp from the Albert Halls, Stirling ARRIVE 10.00 am for coffee and guided tour of the Abbey 11.15 Arrive at Paisley Museum 11.30 Talk on Paisley shawls and weaving demonstration by Curator Dan Coughlan. Looms, shawls and pattern books to examine. c13.00-1400 free time for lunch in a nearby cafe or pub (not included) 14.00 Chance to visit the Art Galleries, the Coats Observatory and the Planetarium in small groups or individually. DEPART 15.30 by coach ARRIVE BACK by 17.00 at Albert Halls An application form for this visit can be downloaded from the DOCUMENTS section in ABOUT US

Monday 24 June to Friday 28 June 2013 

We have arranged a really fascinating tour for the summer, based in Cheltenham, which will visit houses, gardens and galleries in this attractive part of England. The Arts and Crafts theme will be set by retired museum curator Mary Greensted in an introductory talk on the first night of our 4-night stay and thereafter we shall have a full programme of visits by coach, arranged by Heritage Travel of Bath, to significant sites, including Kelmscott Manor, Kiftsgate Court, Sezincote, Rodmarton Manor, Broadway Tower, Court Barn Museum in Chipping Camden and (hopefully) Highgrove.

There is an upper limit of 28 on this tour. More details from mail@hilarygunkel.co.uk

Penicuik House and Policies are situated on the Western outskirts of the town of Penicuik, about 10 km to the South of Edinburgh. The estate is situated on the Eastern edge of the Pentland Hills and includes the valley of the North Esk river. The superbly designed landscape is one of the earliest of its kind and at the centre stands one of the finest surviving Palladian buildings in Scotland, though it exists today in a ruinous state of repair. Information on this visit can be found in the About Us/Documents page