Friend: noun. 1 a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection 2 familiar or helpful thing 3 a person who supports a particular cause or organisation
Get to know our Friends!
Founded in 1975, the Friends of AAGM provide vital support for our work. Over the years they’ve supported the development of Aberdeen’s Recognised Collection of National Significance, helping us to acquire works by leading artists and makers as well as objects relating to Aberdeen’s heritage. For the Art Gallery redevelopment, the Friends funded James Rigler’s monumental ceramic commission 'The Collector' – see it at the entrance to the Cowdray Hall. In 2021 they supported the redevelopment of the top floor display at Aberdeen Maritime Museum which explores changes in the offshore energy sector over the last 40 years. Most recently the Friends, with support from the National Fund for Acquisitions, helped us acquire the beautiful 18th-century silver spirit kettle by James Gordon, an outstanding example of North-East silverware – see it on display at the moment on the Level 2 balcony at Aberdeen Art Gallery.
We’re delighted to welcome our Friends for this special weekend, and invite you to come and say hello, spend some time in their company and enjoy free activities. You might even end up joining them and getting to know us better as a Friend of Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums!
Follow the friends on Instagram @friendsaagm
Programme:
Drop-in relief printing workshop
Saturday 17 September
11am-12.30pm, drop-in, free - donations to Friends AAGM welcome
2pm-3.30pm, drop-in, free - donations to Friends AAGM welcome
Learning Space, Ground floor
Work with our Friends to make your print featuring a design inspired by our special exhibition Galloway Hoard: Viking Age Treasure'. This activity will take around 10-20 mins.
Spotlight Tour: The Galloway Hoard
Saturday 17 September, 2pm (25mins)
Find out what makes the Galloway Hoard the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland.
Handling the Galloway Hoard
Saturday 17 September, 12-1pm, 3-4pm
Sunday 18 September, 1-2pm
Drop by and get your hands on exact copies of some of the stunning objects discovered in the Galloway Hoard and enjoy sharing insights with our wonderful engagement volunteers. Explore the incredible detail in the objects, discover what they were used for and why they were so important to the Viking people who made them.
