Dundee is perfectly located on the banks of the River Tay, on the East Coast of Scotland. It is vibrant and friendly, cosmopolitan, cultural, and compact, and it has been dubbed the It's also the sunniest city in Scotland.
Culture
Dundee is a city full of culture, so when you need a culture fix, the choice is endless. There is the V&A Design Museum, the Dundee Rep Theatre, art and films at Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) and even more art and history to see at the McManus Gallery.
International community
Dundee is international and multicultural, much like Abertay itself. There are over 20,000 students studying in the city, making it home to people from many different countries and ethnic groups. You’ll easily find places of worship for religions including Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, Judaism, as well as many Christian denominations.
Things to Do
During your time in Dundee, you may want to explore the city further. A range of activities based upon what makes Dundee unique are suggested below. Some of these venues may be used during the conference....
Discovery Point
This is the home of RRS Discovery, the ship that gave Dundee the nickname 'City of Discovery'. Launched in 1901 as the last wooden ship of its kind to be built in the United Kingdom, RRS Discovery gained fame from its legendary Antarctic expeditions. Nowadays, this living piece of history is docked on the lovely Dundee waterfront right across the railway station and gives visitors a glimpse into a bygone era of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
Right next to the Discovery, you can find V&A Dundee, Scotland’s first design museum. Built in 2018, it has since become a modern landmark of the city. It features a permanent exhibition of Scottish design, as well as other seasonal and often interactive exhibitions.
Situated in a beautiful Victorian building in the very heart of Dundee, the MacManus houses various permanent exhibitions with topics ranging from culture and art to history and the environment, as well as many seasonal ones. Visitors can also enjoy a one-hour audio tour of the building available in multiple languages, namely English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin Chinese.
While sometimes overlooked due to the attention paid to its younger friend RRS Discovery, HMS Unicorn is a unique piece of nautical history in its own right. Being built almost 200 years ago, it is the oldest ship in Scotland and one of the six oldest intact ships in the world. Its four decks are fully accessible to visitors.
The DCA is a bustling cultural hub for all kinds of artists, creators, and audiences. It features two large art galleries, two cinema screens, and a café, and its programme is always packed with various events, workshops and exhibitions. It is recommended to book tickets for events in advance.
The jute industry used to be synonymous with Dundee and its growth back in the day, and you can explore its history in Verdant Works, a one-of-a-kind museum housed in an old jute mill. The museum includes authentic machinery, interactive exhibits and various multimedia attractions, all of which will teach you not only how this natural fibre was made but also about the industry’s impact on the city and its people.
Towering proudly over the whole city is the Law (a Scottish word for 'hill'). A pleasant hike from the city centre will take you all the way to the top where you will be rewarded by a lovely view of the whole city and the River Tay. The top of the Law also houses a memorial to the fallen in both world wars.
Another beautiful hill is the Balgay Hill where you can find one of the biggest parks in Dundee, on the top of which stands the Mills Observatory. It is Britain’s only full-time public observatory and offers a varied programme, including various events, workshops and planetarium shows.
Located in the lovely suburbs of Dundee known as Broughty Ferry, the local castle offers visitors not only a window into the past but also a lovely view of the coastline from the upper levels. It was erected 1490 as a response against English naval activity and was used by the military all the way through the two world wars as a potential line of defence against Germany. Right next to the castle is the beautiful sandy Broughty Ferry beach which offers a clear view of the North Sea.
