National Library of Scotland at Kelvin Hall events are free and take place at Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, unless we state otherwise.
January events | February events | March events
List updated: 22 January.
January events
See also:
Workshops and tours
Edinburgh events
CINE[STHESIA] — Burns on film
Our regular film event, CINE[STHESIA], presents a screening of films to celebrate Scotland's Bard, Robert Burns. The footage being shown comes from our Moving Image Archive and will feature the land, lines and loves of the Ploughman Poet. Enjoy this film compilation as part of your Burns night celebrations — to the immortal memory of Robert Burns! The screening lasts an hour and is being shown on a loop, every hour on the half-hour, from 10.30-15.30.
Saturday 25 January
10.30-15.30
Free. Either drop in, register your interest for 'CINE[STHESIA] — Burns on film' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Ionnsachadh teaghlaich / Family Learning
Seisean spòrsail ag amas air pàrantan/luchd-cùraim agus clann aois 3-5 bliadhna, ag ionnsachadh còmhla tro chleachdadh air filmichean, sgeulachdan agus ceòl.
A fun session to help young children and their carers learn Gaelic together. Films, stories and music are used to provide an interactive learning experience. The event is aimed at parents and carers with children aged 3-5 years. Sessions are open to all not only those who speak Gaelic. In partnership with Glasgow Life / Glaschu Beò.
Tuesday 28 January
13.00-14.30
Free. This event is fully booked.
Getting started with the Moving Image Archive
The National Library of Scotland's Moving Image Archive has been collecting and preserving films since 1976. All of Scots life can be seen: adverts, documentaries, home movies, promotional films, amateur comedies, educational programmes and more. This workshop is designed to introduce you to the archive and guide you through getting the most from searching our catalogue. Workshop lasts around one hour.
Friday 31 January
14.00
Free. Book 'Getting started with the Moving Image Archive' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
February events
See also:
Workshops and tours
Edinburgh events
Ionnsachadh teaghlaich / Family Learning
Seisean spòrsail ag amas air pàrantan/luchd-cùraim agus clann aois 3-5 bliadhna, ag ionnsachadh còmhla tro chleachdadh air filmichean, sgeulachdan agus ceòl.
A fun session to help young children and their carers learn Gaelic together. Films, stories and music are used to provide an interactive learning experience. The event is aimed at parents and carers with children aged 3-5 years. Sessions are open to all not only those who speak Gaelic. In partnership with Glasgow Life / Glaschu Beò.
Tuesday 4 February
13.00-14.30
Free. This event is fully booked.
CINE[STHESIA] — Coming out
To mark LGBT History month, we present films and sound recordings representing Scotland's queer community. CINE[STHESIA] is a programme of film screenings showcasing hidden gems from our Moving Image Archive. This event incorporates oral histories from Scotland's Sounds and community and oral history project OurStory Scotland as well as film.
Wednesday 5 February
18.00-19.00
Free. Book 'CINE[STHESIA] — Coming out' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Kelvin Hall's annual Chinese New Year family day
Celebrating light with Scotland's lighthouses
Creative workshops for families with children aged 5-8 years exploring flotsam and jetsam. See films and listen to stories of treasures and surprising objects washed up on the shore. Make your own family lighthouse from found and recycled materials.
Saturday 8 February
12.30-13.30
Free. Book 'Celebrating light with Scotland's lighthouses' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Discovering family history at Kelvin Hall
A workshop to show you how to use the National Library of Scotland's digital resources for family history research. If you have discovered the outline of your family history and you want to find out more about your ancestors' lives, this session can help. If you plan to join the Library, when you attend, please arrive 15 minutes early in order to do so. Please also bring evidence of identity and proof of address, e.g. a passport and current driving licence. The workshop takes approximately 90 minutes.
Tuesday 11 February
14.30-16.00
Free. Book 'Discovering family history at Kelvin Hall' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
CINE[STHESIA] — 50 years of Scottish fashion
A film screening showcasing the best of Scottish fashion. CINE[STHESIA] is our regular film club at Kelvin Hall, playing footage selected from the Moving Image Archive. In this curated collection, expect to see everything on the catwalk; from Harris Tweed to 1970s flares to doggie fashion. A sartorial exploration that takes in tartan evening dresses, as well as Fair Isle jumpers.
Wednesday 12 February
18.00-19.00
Free. Book 'CINE[STHESIA] — 50 years of Scottish Fashion' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Ionnsachadh teaghlaich / Family Learning
Seisean spòrsail ag amas air pàrantan/luchd-cùraim agus clann aois 3-5 bliadhna, ag ionnsachadh còmhla tro chleachdadh air filmichean, sgeulachdan agus ceòl.
A fun session to help young children and their carers learn Gaelic together. Films, stories and music are used to provide an interactive learning experience. The event is aimed at parents and carers with children aged 3-5 years. Sessions are open to all not only those who speak Gaelic. In partnership with Glasgow Life / Glaschu Beò.
Tuesday 18 February
13.00-14.30
Free. This event is fully booked.
CINE[STHESIA] — World Thinking Day 2020
Join us for a film screening featuring girl guides and boy scouts through the years, from the Moving Image Archive. Taking inspiration from World Thinking Day 2020, this CINE[STHESIA] is perfect for anyone feeling nostalgic about their time around the camp fire! After the vintage footage, 'Undaunted: The Trefoil School' (1947), is being shown. This film is about work undertaken by members of the Girl Guides Association under the Evacuation Scheme. The screening lasts an hour and is being shown on a loop, every hour on the hour, from 11.00-15.00.
Saturday 22 February
11.00-15.00
Free. Either drop in, register your interest for 'CINE[STHESIA] — World Thinking Day 2020' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Voices heard — Japanese documentaries
A film screening and discussion in partnership with Japan Desk Scotland (JDS). This event includes JDS's seventh film about Fukushima — 'Seven Years After — Fukushima in July 2018', (2019), a 65-minute film in Japanese with English subtitles. This documents the effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011. It considers the evacuation order on Tomioka Town near the troubled nuclear power plant, and the impact on carp farming in Koriyama City. The post-screening discussion centres on challenges for regeneration.
Wednesday 26 February
18.00-19.30
Free. Book 'Voices heard — Japanese documentaries' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Getting started with the Moving Image Archive
The National Library of Scotland's Moving Image Archive has been collecting and preserving films since 1976. All of Scots life can be seen: adverts, documentaries, home movies, promotional films, amateur comedies, educational programmes and more. This workshop is designed to introduce you to the archive and guide you through getting the most from searching our catalogue. Workshop lasts around one hour.
Saturday 29 February
14.00
Free. Book 'Getting started with the Moving Image Archive' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
March events
See also:
Workshops and tours
Edinburgh events
Petticoats and pinnacles
Curator Paula Williams explores the National Library of Scotland's collections to uncover the hidden history of Scottish women mountaineers. As artists, writers, explorers and climbers, they have pushed frontiers and challenged and changed social attitudes. In this popular illustrated talk Paula uses extracts from their own books, as well as newspapers and film. She shows how Scottish women have picked up their skirts and scaled the heights.
Wednesday 4 March
18.00
Free. Book 'Petticoats and pinnacles' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Discover maps at Kelvin Hall
Learn about our collection of more than two million maps. Find everything from early manuscript and printed maps to the latest digital mapping. The session includes an introduction to our maps collections, highlighting our map images website, with more than 200,000 maps. A demonstration shows how to use our geo-referenced, side by side and spy tool viewers, and how to compare, print and purchase maps. Following the approximately 60-minute introductory talk is a 30-minute supported session on the maps website.
Friday 6 March
14.00
Free. Book 'Discover maps at Kelvin Hall' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
CINE[STHESIA] — Women film-makers
A selection of films being screened to celebrate International Women's Day 2020. This CINE[STHESIA] screening highlights some of the wonderful work of women film-makers in our collections. Themes like travel, artistic expression and family mirror the complex range of women's experiences and journeys through life. The films being shown have all been selected from the Moving Image Archive. Each screening lasts an hour.
Saturday 7 March
10.30-16.30
The screening is being shown on a loop, every hour on the half-hour. Either drop in, register your interest for 'CINE[STHESIA] — Women film-makers' on 7 March on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Wednesday 11 March
18.00-19.00
Free. Book 'CINE[STHESIA] — Women film-makers' on 11 March on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Discovering family history at Kelvin Hall
A workshop to show you how to use the National Library of Scotland's digital resources for family history research. If you have discovered the outline of your family history and you want to find out more about your ancestors' lives, this session can help. If you plan to join the Library, when you attend, please arrive 15 minutes early in order to do so. Please also bring evidence of identity and proof of address, e.g. a passport and current driving licence. The workshop takes approximately 90 minutes.
Thursday 19 March
14.30-16.00
Free. Book 'Discovering family history at Kelvin Hall' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
CINE[STHESIA] — Glasgow through the ages
Films of 20th-century Glasgow offer a nostalgic look at the city. A selection of vintage videos from the Moving Image Archive depict aspects of Glasgow's built heritage, streets and parks. Together these films reveal the many faces of the city and how it has evolved over time. An opportunity to visit some of Glasgow's best loved landmarks and watch some hidden gems from the collection. The screening lasts an hour and is being shown on a loop, every hour on the half-hour, from 10.30-16.30.
Saturday 21 March
10.30-16.30
Free. Either drop in, register your interest for 'CINE[STHESIA] — Glasgow through the ages' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.
Getting started with the Moving Image Archive
The National Library of Scotland's Moving Image Archive has been collecting and preserving films since 1976. All of Scots life can be seen: adverts, documentaries, home movies, promotional films, amateur comedies, educational programmes and more. This workshop is designed to introduce you to the archive and guide you through getting the most from searching our catalogue. Workshop lasts around one hour.
Wednesday 25 March
17.30
Free. Book 'Getting started with the Moving Image Archive' on Eventbrite or phone 0141 880 2329.