As we prepare to welcome visitors to campus this summer, you may notice some exciting changes coming to the High Street and surrounding area.
The changes form part of the wider Reimagining Our Campuses project and aim to enhance the experience visitors to campus have, maximise opportunities arising from cruise ship and other visitors, and support revenue generation for the University. The changes will bring more vibrancy to the High Street and ensure visitors to campus – whether from overseas or part of our local community – enjoy a visit to remember.
Campus Tours
Launching in August, the University will organise and host campus tours of King’s College for cruise ship tourists in the city. Groups will be able to select the tour as part of their cruise package and will be transported to King’s College by their cruise provider after docking in Port of Aberdeen.
The tours will consist of a private lecture delivered by Neil Curtis, Head of University Collections, on the University’s links to the wider world.
Groups will then be given a walking tour of the King’s College campus, learning about building and monuments including King’s College Chapel, Bishop Elphinstone’s Tomb, Youth with Split Apple and the Sir Duncan Rice Library. They will also attend a lecture in King’s College Conference Centre, showcasing the history of the University and north-east Scotland, including information on local clans and tartans.
Visitors will end their time on campus by being treated to a three-course lunch in Elphinstone Hall, prepared by the Events Catering team.
Visitor Information Centre
In time for the Tall Ships Races arriving in Aberdeen, plans are also underway for a Visitor Information Centre to be temporarily put in place at 110 High Street, next door to Shelter Coffee. Primarily providing guests to campus information about the University and the surrounding area, ancillary to this there will also be the opportunity to purchase University branded gifts and souvenirs.
The centre is the result of the efforts of colleagues across the University lead by the Estates department to deliver this highly sought-after facility, catering to visitors arriving on campus while also enhancing services for the University community.
Donation Points
Two ‘tap to donate’ machines are to be installed on King’s College campus: one in King’s College Chapel and the other in the Zoology Museum. Visitors will be able to use their debit or credit card and smartphone to make contactless charitable donations towards the Zoology Museum and King’s College Chapel and to preserve our collections for future generations. Further information including privacy notice will be available at each location.
It is hoped that further donation terminals can also be installed in other key visitor locations on campus such as the Sir Duncan Rice Library and Cruickshank Botanic Garden.
The Chapel App
King’s College Chapel has recently launched a web-based app that will provide virtual guided tours of the building. Visitors will be able to use their phone to learn about the Chapel as they move through it.
The tour will provide information on the Ante-Chapel, War Memorial, stained glass windows, graffiti from over the years and other features.
In conjunction with the donation points, the app will encourage visitors to spend time in the Chapel and make a contribution to its maintenance. This project was developed by University Chaplain Marylee Anderson in collaboration with Dr Hans Hones (DHPA), and realised with the support of an ABDNInternship and a group of computer science students.
Next time you’re in the Chapel, take the virtual tour and you may learn something you didn’t know before.
You may also notice the arrival of the Aberdeen Adventurer open top city sightseeing tours which will run daily from April to September.
Tourism is an important part of our regional economy. We have been working with VisitAberdeenshire, the leading body for tourism in the city and shire, over the past year or so and benefited from their advice on how we can create attractive tourism offers. The initiatives have been created from the combined efforts of colleagues right across the University community and are hopefully just the start.
Keep an eye out for these exciting changes coming to campus in the coming weeks and months. Any questions about any of the proposed plans can be directed to Calum Maclachlan (cl.maclachlan@abdn.ac.uk), Head of Catering and Commercial Services in Estates, who is leading coordination of initiatives.
Work will continue throughout the summer and later in the year on other initiatives bringing exciting changes to the High Street. The team will review all feedback received for longer term aspirations for the area.