Video transcript 
Virtual Doors Open Day | Granton Art Centre 
2020 
[02:26] 

Welcome to National Galleries of Scotland Virtual Doors Open Day. 

Do you recognise this building? 

This is Granton Art Centre in the heart of North Edinburgh. Let’s step inside to the treasure trove. 
This building holds over 5,000 artworks, mainly framed paintings and drawings that aren’t currently on display in the Galleries. There are four secured storage rooms, like this one, all with sliding racks. We keep the temperature and humidity at a steady level.  
The building opening in 2002 as Scotland’s first purpose-built art store. Inside the ceiling looks like an upturned boat. 
Come and see what the team is up to. 

We lend art to other galleries around the world. The paintings are checked before they are prepared and packed ready to travel for exhibiting.  Once the exhibition finishes, they return back to Granton where they are carefully unwrapped and checked by experts to make sure they are in good condition. We use magnifying glasses to check closely for every little detail.  
The footprint of all the storage rooms in this building would fill a seven-a-side football pitch. That’s a lot of art! 
We look after these artworks for you the nation, this is your collection. Before lockdown we were open by appointment. Local groups such as Granton Primary School and Granton Walled Garden Society were amazed to see the details of the paintings close-up.  
During lockdown we commissioned local stitchers/machinists to make face coverings using fabric printed with artworks from the national collection. Here you can see Francia, one of the machinists, visiting the painting, Tulips - the Blue Jug, by the Scottish Colourist painter Samuel Peploe.  
Granton Art Centre is preparing to welcome you back, watch this space. Meanwhile we’ve been packing artworks ready for exciting new exhibitions.  
We look forward to opening our real doors to you soon.