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The interior of the Beach Bathing Station, where generations of Aberdonians learnt to swim in the fresh water pool. The Bathing Station was designed by City Architect, John Rust, and opened on 13th July 1898. A distinctive red brick chimney dominated the beach skyline. The Bathing Station was eventually filled in and demolished, the door having finally closed to the public on 11th July 1972.

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Engraving of Northfield Mission Church and School, Gilcomston. See image A08_03 for an alternative, more complete, version of this image.

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An artwork created by Portuguese artist Bordalo II for the Nuart 2018 Festival that ran from 12th to 15th April of that year. The artwork, depicting a colourful unicorn made from end-of-life materials, is on the eastern side of the Italian restaurant Rustico. The restaurant sits at the junction of Summer Street and Union Row. The words next to the Unicorn read "Endangered dream". This photograph was taken on 10th June 2018.

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An artwork by Argentinian artist Milu Correch created for the Nuart 2018 Festival that ran from 12th to 15th April of that year. The large scale mural is located on the south side of Union Row. This photograph was taken on 10th June 2018.

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An artwork by artists Nimi and RH74 created for the Nuart 2018 Festival that ran from 12th to 15th April of that year. The large scale mural is on the western exterior wall of Calendonian House on Union Row. This photograph was taken on 10th June 2018.

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An artwork by Lithuanian-born artist Ernest Zacharevic for the Nuart 2018 Festival that ran from 12th to 15th April of that year. The artwork is on the south eastern facade of Union Plaza, a large office development in Aberdeen's city centre. This photograph was taken on 10th June 2018.

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An artwork by Polish artist M-City for the Nuart 2017 Festival that ran from 14th-16th April of that year. The artwork is on 18 Harriet Street, located at the junction of Harriet Street and Loch Street. This photograph looks west and was taken on 14th July 2018.

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An artwork by Polish artist M-City for the Nuart 2017 Festival that ran from 14th-16th April of that year. The artwork is on 18 Harriet Street, located at the junction of Harriet Street and Loch Street. This photograph looks south and was taken on 14th July 2018.

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An artwork by Italian artist Alice Pasquini for the Nuart 2017 Festival that ran from 14th-16th April of that year. The artwork is mid-way along Belmont Street. In this image can also be seen the entrance to Shri Bheema's Indian restaurant. This popular establishment opened in 2012 and was followed by a branch in Bridge of Don. Branches in Edinburgh, London and Milton Keynes were later opened. On the right of the image is the premises that previously housed One Up Records. This shop traded at this location from 1979 to January 2013. This photograph looks south and was taken on 14th July 2018.

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A Davidson Bros. "Real Photographic" Series postcard looking east up Union Street. The image likely dates from the early 20th century. Before the junction with Back Wynd can be seen the Queen's Restaurant at 120 Union Street and R. Hunter, Chemist at 118. The building at the junction of Union Street and Back Wynd was initially built in 1837 to a design by John Smith. It was the first purpose built home of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen. Doreathea Bruce, in her history of the Society, explains that they sold the building in 1870 after construction of the the new, James Matthew designed, Advocates' Hall in Concert Court. The old hall was bought by Lockhart & Salmond, confectioners, and later functioned as a restaurant and as a cinema. Bruce suggests the building became known as Queen's after it was decorated by City Architect John Smith shortly after Victoria's wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. Her full history of the Society of Advocates in Aberdeen can be read in Aberdeen University Review, LVI, no. 195, Spring 1996.

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A photograph of a well attended public event in Union Terrace Gardens, featuring morris dancing, in 1970. This is most like during the Aberdeen Festival that was held in June of that year. This photograph comes from a collection of slides donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department.

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Country dancing at a well-attended public event in Union Terrace Gardens in 1970. This may have been part of a festival or a regular programme of entertainment. The rear of the Belmont Cinema building and the Belmont Congregational Church are visible in the background. This photograph comes from a collection of slides donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department.

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A brass band during a public event in Union Terrace Gardens. This was likely an evening event during the Aberdeen Festival held in June 1970. This photograph comes from a collection of slides donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department.

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A brass band, and its audience, during a public event in Union Terrace Gardens. This was likely a evening event during the Aberdeen Festival held in June 1970. This photograph comes from a collection of slides donated to Aberdeen City Libraries by Aberdeen City Council's publicity department.

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Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson explains that by 1950 the Picture House was owned by the Rank Organisation. The British entertainment conglomerate had acquired various cinema exhibition companies: British-Gaumont, Odeon, and the Provincial Cinematograph Theatres (successor company to Associated Provincial Picture Houses). As part of business rationalisation, on 22nd March 1950, the Picture House was rebranded as The Gaumont. Thomson's Silver Screen indicates that the Gaumont's vertical neon sign dates from the time of the rebranding. In 1956 the design of the cinema was further updated. This saw the introduction of the illuminated canopy and use of the beech design shown here in the redeveloped interior and exterior, replacing the pillars of the Picture House era. A new marble backed fireplace replaced the old one that had been a well-known feature of the cinema since its opening in 1914. The projection equipment and seating were also modernised. This night-time image from the Aberdeen Journals Archive accompanied an article about the Gaumont's new look in the Evening Express of 19th April 1956. The image shows promotion for a number of films on the cinema's updated exterior: The Rose Tattoo with Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani, Flight from Vienna and Aberdeen Photographic Service's presentation of A Photographic Review of the Royal Tour of Nigeria. The manager at the time of the Gaumont's redesign was Mr. R. E. Miller. He had managed the cinema since January 1948. In early 1951 Miller converted the upstairs restaurant area, which had laid empty since 1928, into a gallery space. Known as the Gaumont Gallery, it was ideal for photographic exhibitions and was in frequent use well into the 1960s. Thomson states that during this period Mary Garden, the retired opera singer who returned to Aberdeen in 1939, was something of a regular at the Gaumont. This well-known and much-loved figure would be escorted to her seat by the cinema's commissionaire George Repper, who was also a popular and familiar figure. Repper worked at the Gaumont from 1940 to 1964 and his job was to shepherd queues, attend to patrons and ensure all progressed smoothly. [Information primarily sourced from Silver Screen in the Silver City (1988) by Michael Thomson] Image © Aberdeen Journals Ltd.

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This month we pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who became the longest ever reigning British monarch on 10 September 2015. On 21 April this year Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday and on 11 June will take part in the Trooping The Colour ceremony to commemorate her official birthday. We feature a selection of local material celebrating her Coronation which took place in Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. Aberdeen celebrated the Coronation with a full programme of events designed to interest the whole community including inter-city sports meetings, a grand procession, historical pageant, youth festival and many more. Find out more about these events in our interactive exhibition on touchscreens in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries.

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A 1st Class Certificate awarded to Alastair R. Reid in the category of Violin Solo - Strathspey and Reel from the Aberdeen and North-East of Scotland Music Festival. It is dated 5th May 1954 and is signed by the festival's president, James Irvine-Fortescue. Fortescue (7 June, 1917 - 13 March, 2005), a graduate of the University of Aberdeen and 15th laird of Kingcausie, was involved in many committees and was an active member of Kincardineshire County Council.

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The front cover of a programme for His Majesty's Theatre from 21st April 1930. The cover is typical of programmes for the Rosemount theatre at this time. This featured show is the Aberdeen Student's annual review, Northern Lights. The proceeds from the performances went to the Aberdeen hospitals. The programme was printed by the Aberdeen University Press.

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The Aberdeen International Youth Festival (AIYF) takes place in venues across the city and beyond from 29 July to 6 August 2016. This will be the 44th year that Aberdeen has hosted a youth arts festival and Aberdeen Local Studies hold a large collection of programmes and flyers from throughout its history. The AIYF as we know it today evolved out of an earlier undertaking called the International Festival of Youth Orchestras (IFYO) which was first held in Aberdeen in 1973. The festival became known as the Aberdeen International Youth Festival in 1983, the same year in which the AIYF Dance School, AIYF International Music School and the Mary Garden Memorial Prize were established. AIYF has welcomed over 30,000 performers to Aberdeen since its inception and has become one of Scotland's major international cultural events, offering unique opportunities to the local community and talented young performers from around the world. Find out more about the ups and downs of the festival's history in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreen in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries.

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To coincide with the Edinburgh International Festival, we are showcasing our collection of engravings and etchings of the city by early Victorian artists. The engravings are extracted from Select views of some of the principal cities of Europe. From Original paintings by Lieutenant Colonel Batty which was published in January 1831 by Moon, Boys and Graves, known as the "printsellers [sic] to the King" and initially sold for £7. Robert Batty (1789-1848) was an army officer and an artist who recorded and illustrated his many experiences of active service. Select Views are compiled of etchings and notes from his time spent serving abroad in cities such as Gibraltar, Lisbon, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels and Antwerp. In total, seven plates of Edinburgh were presented in the volume. Each plate is accompanied by a descriptive text published both in English and in French. Many local and London-based artists contributed to the volume including Edward Goodall (1795-1870), W.R. Smith (active 1826-1852), George Cooke (1781-1834), and William John Cooke (ca. 1796-1865). The plates portray Edinburgh from different viewpoints with many featuring the city's iconic castle and skyline. The collection depicts Scotland's capital through the eyes of 19th Century artists, residents and visitors to the city of Edinburgh and reflects the artistic style and techniques of Victorian Britain. Find out more about the Victorian artists behind the engravings in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on our touchscreens.

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From 17 to 26 October 2016, the Aberdeen Film Festival takes place in ACT Aberdeen and Woodend Barn. The schedule includes an array of independent movies from Aberdeen and around the globe, a 48-hour filmmaking challenge and two free screenings of classic films for school students. To celebrate the festival and all things cinematic this month we are taking another trip into Aberdeen City Libraries' film related material. The Local Studies collection contains programmes for the Aberdeen Film Society from the period of 1949 to 1954. These programmes offer a fascinating glimpse into the historic film culture of the city outside standard commercial cinema exhibition. Our first programme is from the 16th season of film exhibition which took place in 1949-50. Find out more about the history of the Society and its pioneering work in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreens in Central, Airyhall, Tillydrone and Mastrick libraries.

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This treasure is a souvenir brochure and programme for the first Aberdeen Dance Festival Week, held from 16 - 20 August 1948, which aimed "to make Aberdeen Scotland's mecca for good dancing". It was staged by the directors of the Palais de Danse dance hall and organised by the managing director, Mr. Ernest A. Bromberg. This delightful brochure describes competitions such as the Novice 3-Dance, Pre-amateur 4-Dance and Team Dancing Championship, gives details of the panel of adjudicators, and features adverts for local dancing schools. It also includes a personal message from Mr Bromberg who stated "Since the inception of the Palais de Dance it has been my consistent desire to do everything possible to encourage a greater incentive to improve Ballroom Dancing and to provide facilities to make dancing a popular and healthy form of recreation, exercise, and entertainment". The Palais de Dance in Diamond Street was believed to be the oldest principal ballroom in Aberdeen, dating back to the mid-1920s. In 1965 it underwent an extensive interior reconstruction at a cost of £75,000 with a new lounge bar, rounding of the dance floor from its previous square shape, and a circular balcony to watch the dancers. It became Raffles night club in 1976. If you have memories of dancing in Aberdeen or any booklets/brochures on the subject, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact our Local Studies department at the Central Library. Find out more about dancing in Aberdeen and see some fantastic images in the Treasures from our Collections interactive exhibition on the touchscreen.

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This is the reverse side of a promotional sheet designed in the format of a newspaper, entitled Theatre News, advertising the play Love on the Dole. It was an adaptation of the influential 1932 novel by Walter Greenwood. It played at His Majesty's Theatre in the week commencing 23rd September 1935. The front side features photographs of Greenwood and playwright, Ronald Gow, and a large number positive review excerpts.

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