New exhibitions and events planned for 2024
The East Lothian museums open for their summer season after the Easter break. Between April and September 2024 the opening hours will be:
- Prestongrange Museum in Prestongrange Heritage Park: Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 4.30pm
- John Muir's Birthplace: Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sunday 1pm to 5pm
- Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery: Wednesday to Sunday 1pm to 5pm
- John Gray Centre Museum: Thursday & Friday 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 4pm.
This marks a temporary change in the opening hours of the previous season in accordance with the current Council recruitment freeze and need for financial savings.
A Council spokesperson said: “The new season will start on 3 April for all venues apart from the John Gray Centre Museum which will open on 4 April. In the months ahead the museums team have planned an exciting and interesting programme of exhibitions and events.”
John Gray Centre Museum: last chance to see William Gillies Modernism and Nation which is open until 26/4 Exhibitions - John Gray Centre Check out the John Gray Centre Facebook page for details of a free walking tour and a free sketching tour that both explore the spots in Haddington that inspired Gilles.
John Muir’s Birthplace: City Slickers in a Smart Countryside, a photography exhibition of images taken along the John Muir Way by Sharon McMenemy Khan/4 Pegs Gallery. Celebrating 10 years of the John Muir Way.
Wed 20 Mar to Sun 28 Apr John Muir’s Birthplace, Dunbar, EH42 1JJ www.jmbt.org.uk/visit
"When you’re preparing for the John Muir Way, you focus on navigating: distances, signposts, gradients. Once you start riding along the path, you begin to relax and enjoy the countryside. You disconnect from everyday life and connect with the history of the people and the place. It’s a heart-warming journey that connects you to nature." The photographs are taken at different viewpoints from Falkirk to Dunbar.
Dunbar Town House: Mark I’Anson’s exhibition Wrapped In A Pea Green Boat runs from Wednesday 3 April to Sunday 5 May.
Open Wednesday to Sunday 1pm to 5pm. Free admission. www.eastlothian.gov.uk/dunbar-town-house
Artist’s Talk Saturday 6 April, 2pm
Mark I’Anson’s first solo show was at the Compass Gallery, Glasgow, under the watchful eye of Cyril Gerber, in 1994. Over the next twenty five years he has had regular solo exhibitions in London and in Edinburgh and two public touring exhibitions, ‘Dream Team’ with the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (now part of the National Galleries permanent collection) and ‘Drifter’ with Highland Council and The Scottish Fisheries Museum. More recently he received a Masters Degree with Distinction from Edinburgh College of Art. ‘Wrapped up in a Pea Green Boat’ is his first show in Dunbar where he currently lives and works.
East Lothian Council’s Arts Service provides opportunities for artists and curators to exhibit work in the gallery spaces at Dunbar Town House Museum & Gallery and John Gray Centre.
The Arts Service also supports local people and communities to participate in visual arts and crafts activities.
Prestongrange Museum: Visitors can explore the brand new engine shed on a guided tour and view rare locomotives, wagons and rolling stock including a locomotive that worked at Prestongrange Colliery. Pop into the visitor centre for a coffee and to enjoy a newly installed and very striking mining mural by Michael Jessing. Look out for information about forthcoming events on Prestongrange Museum Facebook page!