EXPLORE ABERDEEN

Glover House

Details

Glover House, 79 Balgownie Road, Bridge of Don Aberdeen AB22 8JS

This Victorian House is the family home of Thomas Blake Glover (1838-1911), whose family lived at Bridge of Don from 1849, moving to this house in 1864.

Thomas Blake Glover is today revered in Japan as being one of the founders of modern Japan.  He had a crucial role in the industrialisation of Japan and in the introduction of Western developments in manufacturing, while helping to overthrow the Shogun and restoring the rightful heir to the Imperial Throne of Japan.  His personal life may also have provided the basis for the Madam Butterfly story, immortalised in the opera by Puccini.

The house has been recreated as Glover would have known it in the 1860s A guided tour will help explore Glover’s story, and visitors will see an authentic Victorian Parlour, Dining Room, Bedroom and Victorian Kitchen, as well as admiring Samurai armour and other Japanese memorabilia.

Glover House was gifted by Mitsubishi Co to the Grampian Japan Trust in 1997, and it is now managed by Aberdeen City Council with the support of the City Growth Fund Energising Aberdeen

Opening hours 2008 are Wednesday to Saturday 10:30-12:30pm and 1:00pm to 4:30pm (last entry 4:15 pm) until Friday the 31st October. We also plan to be open on the first Sunday afternoon of each month until October, 1:30-4:30pm, except for June when we plan to open on the second Sunday afternoon of the month (8th June).

Admission is £3 for adults, £2 for children and other concessions and a family group (2 adults, 2 children) is £7

There is some parking at the house and limited disabled access.  First Bus route no 1(Red Line)  from Aberdeen City Centre to Danestone stops just outside the gate.

Japanese Fun at Glover House

Glover House, the family home of Thomas Blake Glover who was nicknamed the Scottish Samurai, and a fine example of a Scottish Victorian House is open this summer and at certain times throughout the year. Described below are the events at Glover House arranged in collaboration with the Arts Development team:

Tanabata Festival weekend; Saturday 5 July, Sunday 6th July; 2-4pm
Tanabata, the Japanese star festival, is a special day when your dreams might come true. It is an ancient Japanese festival when boys and girls can write their hopes and wishes on paper and tie them onto a bamboo plant in the hope they will come true. Arts Tutors from the Arts Development team are going to make a special outdoor artwork and would like you to come along and help them. Over the weekend, we also hope to challenge you in the ancient Japanese game of ‘Go’, and on Sunday activities such as calligraphy and  tea ceremony will be hosted by some of Aberdeen’s Japanese community .

Daruma Doll Workshop; Saturday 12 July; 2-4pm
You can learn how to make a Daruma doll, a Japanese wish doll named after the founder and first patriarch of Zen. Daruma are simple brightly coloured charms and you are invited to come along and make your own for luck.

Shin Hanga Print Workshop; Saturday 19th July; 2-4pm
Shin Hanga was a print based art movement in early 20th century Japan and you can learn to make your own shin hanga print on this fun day.

Origami workshop; Saturday 26th July; 2-4pm
Origami, the ancient art of paper folding will be taught so that you can make your own intricate designs.

Ikebana Japanese flower arrangement workshop; Saturday 2nd August; 2-4pm
Ikebana is one of the traditional arts of Japan and you can have the opportunity to make your own arrangement at this joyful workshop.

Manga Devil workshop; Saturday 9th August; 2-4pm
Take inspiration from classic manga including action-adventure, historical drama, science fiction and fantasy to make your artwork.

Sushi Mad workshop; Saturday 16th August; 2-4pm
Make your own sushi plate and chopsticks stand in this fun workshop for working up an appetite.

Workshops are free when you visit Glover House (admission is £3 for adults, £2 for children and £7 for families). The Japanese Fun workshops are devised and run by WhiteSpace and Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums, and supported by the City Growth Fund Energising Aberdeen.

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