Places to Explore in North Lanarkshire
Doors Open Days gives people living and visiting Scotland the chance to celebrate heritage and the built environment by offering the chance to explore spaces and discover the story behind them.
North Lanarkshire’s libraries and museums throw open their doors for guests to visit on special events to find out more about the historic locations that we are proud of. Best of all, the events are free. Take a look at where you can discover below:
Motherwell Library
Saturday 17 September, 11am and 1pm | Motherwell Library Tour
FREE | 01698 332626 or email motherwelllibrary@northlan.gov.uk to book
Join us for a tour of the historic Carnegie library building in Motherwell and be entertained with stories for children.
Airdrie Library
Saturday 17 September, 11am – 3pm | Visit the Observatory
FREE | 01236 758070 or email airdrielibrary@northlan.gov.uk for more info. No booking required.
Come along to the historic Observatory at Airdrie Library and hear from experts from the Airdrie Astronomical Association about one of the town’s hidden gems.
Cumbernauld Library
Saturday 17 September, 11am | Cumbernauld Hit
FREE | Call 01236 632702 or email cumbernauldlibrary@northlan.gov.uk to book
Grab a chance to watch the iconic film Cumbernauld Hit on our cinema screen followed by film shorts.
Cumbernauld Library
Saturday 17 September, 11am – 5pm | Stay and Play
FREE | Call 01236 632702 or email cumbernauldlibrary@northlan.gov.uk to book
Visit the library and take part in our games, LEGO building and colour ins.
Cumbernauld Library
Saturday 17 September, 2pm | Cumbernauld’s Role In Building a Modern Scotland
FREE | Call 01236 632702 or email cumbernauldlibrary@northlan.gov.uk to book
Come along and hear ongoing findings from the Building a Modern Scotland team – Dr Diane Watters and Dr Valerie Wright.
Dr Watters will give a brief overview of the original planning and architeture of Cumbernauld. She’ll then focus on the reception of the built town in use – from the elite discourses of the archetectural press, to how it fared in the popular accounts of social commentators, journalists, and the townsfolk themselves in these early decades.
Dr Wright will then focus on Cumbernauld’s social history, drawing on archival research, and more importantly, providing a sense of what she’s been finding out from interviewing people about their lives in the town.
North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre
Saturday 17 September, 1.30pm – 3pm | Tours and Activities
FREE | 01698 274590 to book (tours should be pre-booked to avoid disappointment)
Tour | 1.30pm & 3pm | book in advance
Family-friendly behind-the-scenes tours of our archives, local studies and object stores.
Bookbug (0-4 years)| 3pm | no booking required
Family craft activity (£2) | 1.30pm – 2.30pm | no booking required
Exhibition: Whoa… yeah, wait a minute Mr Postman | 12pm – 4pm | no booking required
Showing local artists’ work created during the pandemic.
Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life
Sunday 18 September, 10am – 4pm | Tours and Activities
Tours of the Industrial History Store | 11am & 1pm | Book online
See behind the scenes where the museum’s big machines are stored and see some of our recent acquisitions! Meet at the museum reception.
Guided Canal Walk | 2pm | Book online
Explore the history of the Gartsherrie Branch of the Monkland Canal, now a Scheduled Monument, with a museum curator.
We will find a Second World War air raid shelter, discover rope marks left by the canal barges, explore a Victorian ironworks and see how coal was transferred from Lanarkshire’s first railway to the canal.
The walk will last approximately 45 minutes; meet at the museum reception. If it rains, there will be a talk in the Vulcan barge instead
The Meccano Society of Scotland | 10am – 4pm| No booking required
The exhibition features large and small working Meccano models from all eras. From vintage cars to spaceships, from giant cranes to interactive mechanisms that visitors can operate, Meccano is truly ‘engineering in miniature’.
Exhibition: Glitz & Glamour | 10am – 4pm| No booking required
The Golden Years of cinema with fun interactives for children.
Family craft activity (small charge)| 1pm – 3.30pm| No booking required
Colzium House & Museum
Saturday 17 September, 11am – 3pm | Family Activities
FREE | no booking required
Family activities | 11am – 3pm | main hall
Join family activities including brass rubbings, object handling and dressing up.
Traditional toys and games | 11am – 3pm | main entrance
Explore the grounds | 11am – 3pm |
Colzium House & Museum open to the public to explore
Broadwood Stadium
Saturday 17 September, 11am and 1pm | Stadium Guided Tour
FREE | No booking required
Experience the stadium with a guided tour of the premium sports venue in North Lanarkshire.
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