The new branch of the V&A Museum in Dundee, a museum of Scottish design and its impact on and from the world, opened to visitors today.

As we quite often visit or pass through Dundee this is a building I have seen growing from the waterfront over the past few years and it is a splendid piece of architecture.

It lies beside Discovery Point, latest (and last?) home of Scott’s and Shackleton’s research ship the RRS Discovery. There are hopes the V&A will do for Dundee in terms of tourism and raising the city’s profile what the Guggenheim did for Bilbao.

It’s exciting to think I’ll be able to visit it soon. We’re not going straight away as we expect it will be fairly busy. I believe entrance has to be booked for the first few weeks.

These photos were taken in February when the building was pretty well completed on the outside. We had been round the Discovery – itself well worth a visit – and the opportunity to take the photographs couldn’t be missed.

RRS Discovery and V&A Dundee:-

Part of the V&A looks like the prow of a ship. V&A from the stern of RSS Discovery (Tay Road Bridge in background):-

Stern sprit of RSS Discovery, V&A in background:-

In other aspects it resembles a cliff, the architect Kengo Kuma‘s inspiration. V&A from RRS Discovery:-

From plaza:-

From east northeast:-

The inside exhibits promise to be as distinctive as the outside.

Eddie Thompson Stand with Jerry Kerr Stand to right:-

George Fox Stand:-

West Stand:-

Main Stand, (Jim McLean Fair Play Stand?):-

Tannadice Park is the home of Dundee United F C.

The ground sits between Tannadice and Sandeman Streets.

Main Stand from Tannadice Street (west):-

George Fox and Jim Mclean Fair Play Stands with west stand (lower in profile) between them. From Sandeman Street:-

The George Fox Stand from west:-

The George Fox Stand from east with Eddie Thompson Stand to left:-

Eddie Thompson Stand (and side of George Fox Stand,) from Arklay Street:-

Stadium from Tannadice Street east. Jerry Kerr Stand. Dens Park* in background. Art Deco roofline on Superstore and Ticket Centre to left:-

Jerry Kerr and Eddie Thompson Stands:-

Dens Park from Tannadice Park:-

*The two stadiums are the closest grounds to each other in senior British football. See some of my photos of Dens Park here.

19^th century industrialist and steel magnate Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Fife.

His birthplace is now a museum:-

As the plaque on the cottage indicates, Carnegie became a noted philanthropist, endowing Dunfermline with a swinmming pool and over 3,000 towns worldwide with libraries. One of these was Dunfermline Library whose later extension I posted about yesterday.

In the museum I came across a drawing of another of these, Coldside Library in Dundee, and recognised it immediately:-

I have previously mentioned this fine building but at the time did not know it had anything to do with Carnegie, nor indeed its name.

The sign on it says Community Library.

The Bobby Cox Stand – at Provost Road end:-

Main Stand. Angled bend is quite prominent:-

Bob Shankly Stand. Tannadice Street end:-

Small stand opposite Main Stand. I believe this one is known as the Derry. Note Dundee Law in background on right:-

Sons fans crammed into end part of Main Stand, 3/5/14:-

End of game applause (and Dundee fans’ pitch invasion) 3/5/14:-

Dens Park is the home of Dundee Football Club.

This is the ground as seen from Caird Avenue, floodlights poking above the flats on Dens Road.

From Provost Road:-

The next one was taken from Sandeman Street. In the background you can also see Tannadice Park, home of Dundee United Football Club. The two grounds have the closest proximity in British senior football:-

Here are Dens Park and Tannadice Park from Dundee Law. I took this photo nearly three years ago. The high flats in the foreground have now been demolished.

Dens Park showing Tannadice Street. Again Tannadice Park can be seen, as can the bend in Dens Park’s Main Stand:-

Main and Bob Shankly Stands from Tannadice Street. Bob Shankly was the brother of the more widely known Liverpool manager, Bill:-

Dundee songwriter/singer Michael Marra died a few months ago. The Guardian’s obituary is here.

The obituary mentions his songs General Grant’s Visit to Dundee and Frida Kahlo’s Visit to the Tay Bridge Bar saying they illustrate Marra’s humour. Well, maybe. What is most astonishing is that General Grant (as President Grant) actually did visit Dundee. I don’t think Frida Kahlo ever frequented the Tay Bridge bar, though, which is an example of idiosyncratic humour.

I didn’t mark Marra’s passing at the time because I was searching for a particular song of his which I remember from the first time he came to my attention. This was on an STV programme after the late evening news many moons ago. For this one he strode, wielding his guitar, through a flat in the process of refurbishment.

The song was the almost bizarre Painters Painting Paint which I have now been able to access. You can find it if you scroll down to number 36 on this webpage.

His gravel voice was not to everyone’s taste but he was a significant figure on the Scottish music scene, not least for his influence on it.

This You Tube clip says “Mother Glasgow cover.” In fact Marra wrote the song and it was Hue And Cry who covered it.

Michael Marra: 17/2/1952 – 23/10/2012. So it goes.

The most prominent feature of Dundee Law is the War Memorial erected there.

The east side commemorates the men of Dundee who died in the First World War.

The west side commemorates the Second World War dead.

The door must allow access to the inside. Apparently the device at the top is a lantern of remembrance which is lit on four occasions through the year:
25th September; in memory of the Battle of Loos,
24 October; United Nations Day,
11 November; Armistice Day
and Remembrance Sunday.

This is the view of the Memorial from just in front of the radio/mobile phone mast which also sits on the summit. You can see the rail bridge across the Tay in the background to the right here.

I walked up Dundee Law (a conical hill that is the city’s highest point) for the first time yesterday.

From it you get fine views over the city and the surrounding countryside – except that yesterday it was misty so the views weren’t so fine.

It is a good vantage point to see the North Tay Works, or the McGregor and Balfour building, which I have featured before.