News and Events

Basque Language

A volunteer member of "Geek Science" has translated part of our website to Basque language. See http://webhostinggeeks.com/science/visit-john-eu

100,000 visitors!

East Linton Primary School's P5's were thrilled to discover that they were our '100,000th visitor' when they came to the Birthplace yesterday.

Friday Afternoon Children's Workshops NOTE TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS

2012 workshops re-started on Friday 13th Jan with Stormy Weather! The children made a beautiful polar bear banner and individual dioramas to take home.

Our workshops are proving very popular at the moment. Booking is essential and the workshop must be paid in advance by 5pm on the Wednesday prior to the workshop. If we have not received payment we will offer the place to someone else.

Friends of John Muir Country Park

The next work day will be on Saturday 21^st January 2012

John Muir – A Local Man

John Muir was a famous local man

Who came from sunny Dunbar

Born in 1838

He travelled near and far

Workshops for 2012

Friday afternoon workshops for January 2012 begin on January 13th and continue every second Friday thereafter. Booking essential and please note there is a charge of £3 per child per workshop.

Festive Period Opening Times

John Muir's Birthplace will be open Wed 21st - Sat 24th December. Closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day and normal service resumes on Wed 4 January 2012.

Holiday craft drop-in activities

Come along to John Muir's Birthplace for FREE drop-in craft activities for families throughout the holiday period.

Dunbar High Street Christmas events Sunday 27th November

Christmas shopping events and late night opening till 7pm on Sunday 27th November, Thursdays 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd December

10% discount on all shop purchases over £15

The Dunbar Christmas Market and Christmas Lights switch on take place the same afternoon so why not bring the whole family? For further information, contact East Lothian Council Museum Service on 01368 863734.

Dunbar Town House Christmas Event

Sunday 27th November 2011 3-5pm

Free!

Come and see the newly refurbished Dunbar Town House in this one-off Christmas event!

Throughout the afternoon, you can take part in Christmas craft activities for the whole family, led by an artist, go on a guided tour, or find out more about the Town House's fascinating history. Dunbar and District History Society will also have displays about Dunbar’s history in their brand new exhibition space.

Extremely rare visitor - Hume's Leaf Warbler or a Yellow Browed Warbler?

An extremely rare visitor has been spotted in trees near Torness Power Station only five miles down the coast from John Muir's Birthplace. Bird watching enthusiasts are debating the identity of the tiny bird which is thought to be either an extremely rare 'Hume's Leaf Warbler' or a Yellow Browed Warbler.

http://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/dunbar/articles/2011/11/17/419882-twitchers-stumped/#latest

If you are in the area on the search for this rare visitor come and visit us on Dunbar High Street and find out about the young John's passion for "everything that was wild".

Christmas Shopping Event

John Muir's Birthplace will open for an extended period on

Sunday 27th November

1 - 7 pm

For this afternoon only we are offering a discount of

10% on all shop purchases over £15

New Interactives

A new set of specially commissioned interactive games has been installed at the Birthplace.

Summer holiday drop-ins !

During the summer holidays our younger visitors can enjoy a daily craft activity. Activities change each week - make a pirate hat, a rockpool montage, or lighthouse picture! (Under 8's must be accompanied as activities are unsupervised.)

John Rennie F.R.S. Engineering Genius

Our popular summer exhibition which celebrates the 250th anniversary of East Lothian's famous engineer has been extended until Sunday 31st July.

Sand Sculpture Competition

The annual Friends sand sculpture competition is on Saturday 6th August, to be precise, from 11am to 3pm, at the East Beach in Dunbar. It is at the east end of that beach, accessed from the bottom of the Golf House Road.

Reading Event - My First summer in the Sierra

A reading event by the Friend's of John Muir's Birthplace

Muir Connections

An anniversary exhibition: 2011 marks 30 years of the twinning of Dunbar and Martinez in California, John Muir's first and last homes.

John Muir the Writer at Dunbar Library

John Muir the Writer - Celebrating John Muir's Writing

Easter Activities

Come and eggs-plore our museums

this Easter

Friday afternoon children's workshops May-June 2011

Our latest programme of Friday afternoon children's workshops is now available!

Wherever A Scotsman Goes... John Muir & Robert Burns

Wednesday 26th January - Saturday 12th February 2011

Wherever a Scotsman goes...

John Muir and Robert Burns

Books and Gifts for Christmas

Come into John Muir's Birthplace for a browse at our books and environmentally friendly gifts for Christmas!

Turn Back Time

Autumn workshop news!

Our beautiful Autumn leaf collage!

Christmas at John Muir's Birthplace

Christmas gift ideas at John Muir's Birthplace!

Family Drop-in Activities

Family Drop-in Craft Activities take place each Saturday and Sunday

Latest shop news!

Visit our shop section, shop news and offers, for details of new stock and of our latest offers!

Friday Afternoon Children's Workshops September - December '10

Stories, crafts and activities for ages 5 - 11

Friday afternoons during term time.

2.30 -4pm

BOOKING ESSENTIAL: Please book inside, phone 01368865899 or by email info@jmbt.org.uk. Please email 2 weeks in advance.

John Muir's Birthplace receives 5 stars from VisitScotland

Staff were delighted to hear recently that the Birthplace has been awarded 5 stars from VisitScotland, becoming the fifth 5 star attraction in East Lothian!

John Muir biographer wins award!

John Muir biographer, leading American academic and historian Donald Worster wins Scottish literary prize for A Passion for Nature, The Life of John Muir.

172nd Birthday Celebration

Muir's birthday is being celebrated around the World today. Friends of John Muir's Birthplace are launching the latest wee book publication titled 'Walking the John Muir Way' by Robert Russel. Inaddition, over twenty organisations have signed up to a birthday celebration event sometime this week. See the Big Picnic Resources section of the website for more information. We will bring you details and photos of the events in the next few weeks.

Friday Afternoon Children's Workshops April-June '10

Children's Workshops April-June '10

Read more to find out about our new programme of Friday Afternoon Children's Workshops

100,00th John Muir Award Celebration

John Muir was spotted at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh earlier this week at the 100,000th John Muir Award celebration.

Membership Offer!

Join the John Muir Trust when you visit the Birthplace and receive a year's free membership of 'Friends'.

John Muir birthday celebrations 21st April 2010

Last year schools and groups from East Lothian, Edinburgh and Moray celebrated John Muir's birthday with our Big Picnic event. Everyone joined in the environmental games and activities and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We have already received requests from schools in East Lothian, Scottish Borders, Edinburgh, Perthshire and the Isle of Skye who will all be taking part this year. For more information see our Big Picnic Resources section.

Friends of John Muir's Birthplace have been working hard to produce the next in their 'wee book' series, which will be available from 21st April. The John Muir Way by Robert Russel is a guide to the 73km John Muir Way footpath that runs along the East Lothian coast, linking the City of Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders.

Illustrated Talk by Dr David Anderson

In God's Wildness - John Muir and faith

Wednesday 3rd March 7.30pm
Our Lady of the Waves Church Hall
Westgate/Bayswell Road, Dunbar

John Muir's Birthplace Earth Lab

'Let's make weather!'

Drop in demonstrations and activities for all the family.

Saturday 13th March 11am - 4pm
Sunday 14th March 1.30pm - 4pm
Saturday 20th March 11am - 4pm
Sunday 21st March 1.30pm - 4pm

FREE ADMISSION

Children's Workshops and Family Drop-in activities January - March 2010

Children's Workshops and Family Drop-in Activities

January - March 2010 Fridays 2.30 - 4pm

Children's Workshops and Family Drop-in Activities Oct - Dec 2009

Children's Workshops and Family Drop-in Activities

October - December 2009 Fridays 2.30-4pm

Children's Workshops and Family Drop-in Activities Aug - Oct 2009

Children's Workshops and Family Drop-in Activities

August - October 2009 Fridays 2.30-4pm

Designer Garrett Burke visits John Muir's Birthplace

The designer of the Californian Quarter Garrett Burke visited John Muir's Birthplace in mid July. The visit coincided with the Friends of John Muir's Birthplace annual Sand Sculpture competition held on the East Beach, Dunbar.

Poetry Competition Winners

Wherever a Scotsman Goes...John Muir and Robert Burns Poetry Competition

A celebration was held on 21st April '09 to announce the winners.

Read on to enjoy the poems

US award for John Muir’s Birthplace

John Muir’s Birthplace has become the first transatlantic recipient of the John Muir Conservation Award for its work promoting the legacy of John Muir through an exciting programme of exhibitions, children’s workshops, talks, projects and events.

Spring Exhibition

Our Exhibition Wherever a Scotsman goes... John Muir and Robert Burns runs from 22nd January to 17th June 2009.

Star Award

The East Lothian Museums Team, including staff from John Muir’s Birthplace, were delighted to be nominated then chosen as finalists in the East Lothian Council Star Awards 2008.

New Exhibition

Thursday 6th November – Sunday 30^th November

An Eye for Detail

By Gordon Jenkinson

Dunbar Artist and Illustrator

Gordon is a self taught artist from Dunbar and has been exhibiting throughout Edinburgh, East Lothian and the Borders for the last 15 years, winning the Berwickshire Art Society’s top award, the Torness Cup, in 1997 and again in 2002. In June 2004 Gordon completed a Higher National diploma with merits in illustration with Design at Edinburgh’s Telford College.

Spring and summer events at JMB 2008

A full programme of events will take place at John Muir's Birthplace in the spring and summer of 2008. Details for 15th April to 24th July follow:

Prince Edward at JMB

Courtesy of the East Lothian Courier we can present a selection of pictures taken during HRH the Earl of Wessex’s recent visit to JMB.

Talk on the effect of climate change on East Lothian gardens

Professor Fred Last will be talking on HOW DO PLANTS RESPOND TO OUR WEATHER AND CLIMATE IN EAST LOTHIAN, the why's and wherefores of flowering.

Royal visit - HRH the earl of Wessex at John Muir's Birthplace

HRH the earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, stopped by today for a brief visit to john Muir's Birthplace.

Factsheet roll-out continues

Weekly additions have increased the factsheet resources to a total of 31. New additions include information on other members of John Muir's extended family, life and times in 1840s Dunbar, John Muir's homes in Dunbar and a short history of John Muir Country Park.

New Factsheets added to the site

A new batch of factsheets has been (5 February) added to the site. More will follow soon!

Christmas at John Muir's Birthplace

Lots of gift ideas...

Photographic Events

Some of the photos taken during two of the Show Scotland events over the past weekend can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastlothian/sets/72157600188660502/show/

STOP PRESS

Youngsters in Dunbar 'Go Wild' and were seen today wheeling John Muir along the High Street. Our roving reporter hopes to supply photographic evidence soon!

DON'T MISS OUT

SPACES STILL AVAILABLE for this weekends Show Scotland events and don't miss the photographic exhibition by Scottish photographer Ken Paterson which will be on display until 13th May (see Show Scotland event details below).

National Spring Clean

Children from JMB recently took part in the Keep Scotland Beautiful litter campaign ‘National Spring Clean’. The group, along with museums staff and a countryside ranger spent an afternoon collecting litter around the Glebe, Dunbar.

Show Scotland Events 30th April to 13th May

Caledonia to California - a celebration of John Muir through photography and the Famous Scots Project.

The Famous Scots Project is designed to connect the current and future generations of Scots with their rich and unique world heritage. The Scots influence abroad is far greater than the size of the home nation would suggest. This should be a constant source of national pride. A series of photographic essays, for exhibition, publication and educational CD ROM, on the lives of our most famous historical figures, will be produced. Bringing home the successful story of the Scottish ‘Diaspora’ for the full attention of the Scottish people.

Children's Workshops May to June 2007

Friday afternoons 2.30 - 4pm for 5 - 12 year olds

Please book in advance at John Muir's Birthplace, 126 High Street, Dunbar 01368 865899 donations welcome.

BBC Radio 4 Open Country

Jo Moulin, Manager of John Muir's Birthplace, takes Richard to the shore and demonstrates Muir's unconventional approach to appreciating nature as part of this weeks programme where Richard visits, and re-visits, the Firth of Forth - before and after the major sewage spill which polluted the waters on April 20th.

Children’s Workshops and Drop In Sessions Apr – May ‘07

Friday afternoon children's workshops and holiday drop-in activities

SILVER Green Business Tourism Scheme

Overall comments from the assessor included John Muir's Birthplace "achieves a good SILVER award due to good practice throughout and very strong educational materials and interpretation on and off site".

Green Business Tourism Scheme

John Muir's Birthplace has been working towards grading by the Green Business Tourism Scheme (GBTS) for some time. We are due to have our grading visit in the next week.

Children’s Workshops and Drop In Sessions Jan – Mar ‘07

Friday Afternoons 2.30pm-4.00pm

Valentin I. Znoba Obituary

January 10, 1929 – August 7, 2006

Creator of the “John Muir” bronze statue sited outside the historic Town House, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland. Unveiled October 1997.

Christmas & New Year Opening Hours

There will be no change to our November to March opening hours.
Wednesday to Friday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 1pm to 5pm

Journey for the Wild

The message batons have been united at Ben Nevis and will start the journey to East Lothian next week.

Hot off the press!

New Edition of 'The Story of My Boyhood and Youth'
Introduction by our own David M Anderson!

Children’s Workshops Sept–Oct ’06

Stories, games and crafts
Friday Afternoons 2.30pm-4.00pm
Age 5-12 years
Booking essential t: 01368 865899 e: info@jmbt.org.uk

Archaeology Week events in Dunbar

Talks, tours, workshops and practical events are just some of the wide range of activities arranged for East Lothian Archaeology Week 2006. The events run this year from Friday 1st September to the 10th and offer something of interest for all ages.

John Muir Reading Group

We meet in the Gibb Room of Dunbar Library on the third Tuesday of each month from 7.30pm until around 9pm. There is a coffee machine and comfy seats! For more information please phone JMB, 01368 865899.

Incredible sand sculptures at beach

On Saturday (12th August) Dunbar’s John Muir Association held their 2nd Annual Sand Sculpture Competition at East Beach.

John Muir Inducted in California Hall of Fame

The father of conservation, Dunbar-born John Muir, is to receive another accolade – despite being dead for nearly a century.

Old World-New World Links through John Muir

During the visit of East Lothian Council’s museums officer Peter Gray and John Muir’s Birthplace manager Jo Moulin to California to attend the conference ‘John Muir in Global Perspective’, the opportunity was taken to make a large number of contacts. It was hoped that these would be useful in promoting cultural and tourism links and there have been examples of both during July.

Citizenship Project

This year’s Citizenship project, our second since opening, is now underway. By the end of May 30+ East Lothian Schools/800 pupils from the county will have taken part in the project led by East Lothian Council Art Service in partnership with East Lothian Countryside Ranger Service, John Muir’s Birthplace and the John Muir Award. Despite the recent drop in temperature the first schools to visit enjoyed rock pool sessions, tours of the harbour area, exploring the Birthplace and indoor crafts.