Museum Collections, University of Dundee

Our new exhibition in the Lamb Gallery, Dundee and the RSA, opens this evening!

Over the years, more than 50 Dundee artists and architects have been elected to the Royal Scottish Academy, going right back to its founding in 1826. This exhibition will feature work by every Academician who was born in, studied in or taught in Dundee, including John Duncan, David Foggie, McIntosh Patrick, Alberto Morrocco and leading contemporary artists such as Will Maclean, Calum Colvin, Leena Nammari and current RSA President Gareth Fisher.

The exhibition has been organised in partnership with the Royal Scottish Academy as part of RSA 200: Celebrating Together. It will be on show until 23 October, open Monday-Friday. Find out more at https://www.dundee.ac.uk/events/dundee-and-rsa

Image: Dark Moves by Alan Robb RSA, 1979

Our final public art walk is on Wednesday...

Thanks to everyone who came on our lovely walk along the Dighty (and thanks to LouiseKirby for this fab photo). We've almost reached the end of this year's tours but there's still one more on Wednesday 5th August, when we'll be exploring Stobswell. Book now via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/public-art-design-walking-tour-stobswell-tickets-1991093438072

For anyone interested in art and health...

Call for papers!

We are delighted to announce detail for the Scottish Society for Art History’s annual conference and share our call for papers.

In partnership with the University of Aberdeen and Grampian Hospitals Art Trust, the Society host a two-day in person conference on 4-5 February 2027, to be held at the University of Aberdeen, exploring the relationship between art and health in Scotland.

Throughout history, the fields of art and medicine have been closely connected. Art history and visual studies have highlighted the importance of visual knowledge for the development of medicine, and the importance of pictorial evidence in a variety of medical specialisms. More recently, the production and reception of art is increasingly discussed regarding its benefits for wellbeing and mental health.
This conference will share current research and critical debate into the myriad relationships between art and health, past and present, and we hope to engage with artists, writers, curators, archivists, art historians, medical practitioners and interdisciplinary researchers.

We welcome proposals for 20 minute papers or 10 minute case studies to be presented in person at the event. Proposals should be in the form of 300 to 500 word abstracts, accompanied by brief biographical details and a supporting image.

The deadline for proposals is 5pm on Thursday 1 October 2026.

Head to our website for full details. We look forward to reading your proposals!

https://ssahistory.wordpress.com/ssah-2027-conference/

Image: Joyce W. Cairns PPRSA, The Patient, 2009. Oil on board. University of Aberdeen Collection.

Join us on Sunday for a new public art walk!

Thanks to everyone who joined us in our Whitfield tour last Sunday - we definitely had a variety of weather! This Sunday we're going to be doing a brand new walk exploring Douglas and the Dighty, focusing on all of the wonderful work by the volunteers at the Dighty Connect project, as well as murals by Syke (as seen here) and others. Book via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/public-art-design-walking-tour-douglas-and-dighty-tickets-1991104237373

Fancy a Sunday afternoon stroll?

Thanks to everyone who came on our sunny tour of Lochee last week. Our next public art walk is on Sunday 26th July in Whitfield. This is one of our greenest walks so why not come along to enjoy some art and nature! Book via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/public-art-design-walking-tour-whitfield-tickets-1991091067983

Our new exhibition in the Tower Foyer Gallery, Traces of Care, opens on Monday! Curated by Shannon Farley as part of the MFA Curatorial Practice course at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee, it explores connections between historical and contemporary works through themes of care, labour, memory, domesticity and visibility, showing how such connections still resonate today. Many of the artists represented in the collections were once students or members of staff at DJCAD, and their work and experiences form an important part of Dundee's creative history. Through these shared themes, the exhibition shows how artists leave identifiable traces of themselves in their work and how artworks can act as records of lived experience, connecting generations through shared concerns and perspectives.
The show is open Mon-Fri until 25 September. https://www.dundee.ac.uk/events/traces-care

Our annual summer series of Public Art & Design walking tours kicks off this Sunday, when we'll be exploring the Hilltown, visiting murals, mosaics, sculptures and more - including Marion Smith's lovely polar bear, who's probably wishing for cooler weather right now! Places must be booked in advance - details of that and all the tours this summer can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/public-art-design-walking-tours-4243403

It’s June already which means that our weekly summer openings of the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum begin tomorrow!

We’ll be open every Friday afternoon, 2-4.30pm throughout June, July and August - why not come and pay us a visit in the Carnelley Building, directly behind the University Tower Building.

Our monthly openings on the second Saturday of every month will also continue throughout this time.

We hope to see you there!

D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum Friday Openings Visit this hidden gem to discover an amazing menagerie of animals from around the world!

How might we experience museum artefacts and artworks beyond the power of sight?

To accompany the current exhibition Making Sense in the Tower Foyer Gallery, we're holding a special workshop on Wednesday 20 May at 5.30pm as part of Dundee Month of Design. It will allow you to experience museum objects and artworks through non-visual means – touch, sound and smell – and then create your own sensory descriptions in response.

There are still a few places left on this free workshop, but participants must book in advance via https://www.eventbrite.com/e/making-sense-a-sensory-museum-workshop-tickets-1986446741678

We’ve Been Recognised!

On International Museum Day we are delighted to announce that the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design Collection managed by the University of Dundee Museums has been formally Recognised as a Collection of National Significance.

Recognition is a Scottish Government Scheme managed by Museums Galleries Scotland, which celebrates and promotes Nationally Significant Collections, beyond those held in Scotland’s national museums and galleries.

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee is one of the UK’s leading art schools and has been part of the University of Dundee since 1994. The Recognised Collection comprises over 8,000 artworks and artefacts and includes student artwork acquired from the annual Degree Shows, works by notable staff members (including painter James McIntosh Patrick and comics legend Dudley D Watkins), as well as bequests and donations made by both staff and alumni. As well as traditional media such as paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and textiles, the collection has particular strengths in other areas including artists’ books, comics art, animation and video art. It brings together not just DJCAD’s own collections but also related material from other parts of the University.

Artworks from the collection can currently be seen in our exhibitions Making Sense and Light Show, as well being displayed in DJCAD itself and other buildings across the University. The DJCAD Collection is one of several important collections held by the University of Dundee Museums which are accessible to the public as well as making significant contributions to teaching and research and forming part of the institution's collective memory.

You can help support the on-going development of this important collection by making a donation to our new Purchase Fund at https://www.dundee.ac.uk/campaigns/support-djcad-degree-show-purchase-fund.