Family Activity for Glasgow Doors Open Days : Miss Cranston's Classroom

Meet Edwardian entrepreneur Miss Kate Cranston and take part in her interactive classroom to find out if you have what it takes to work in a turn-of-the-century tea room. Come practise your mental arithmetic, copper plate handwriting, Mackintosh-inspired design skills and – most importantly – the art of serving the perfect cup of tea.

This new workshop was originally developed for Primary schools with Yilin Zhu and Qiyao Hu, students from University of Glasgow's MSc Museum Education, and actress Lesley Robertson. Costume, hair and make-up were generously produced by Flavia Burroni Miglio, Gilberto Miglio and Scottish Opera. Testing for the workshop was undertaken in collaboration with Golfhill Primary School, St Brides Primary School and St Aloysius Junior School.

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This workshop is suitable for families with children that are 9-12 years old, but all are welcome. Please be aware that Miss Cranston may be loud and sometimes strict, this may be alarming for younger children or children with additional support or sensory needs.

Places are limited and booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Both children and adults must have booked places. If you are unable to attend, please refund your tickets so that another family can participate.

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To enquire further please contact obraid@nts.org.uk or telephone 0141 204 1903

For information on accessibility please visit https://www.nts.org.uk/accessibility/mackintosh-at-the-willow-accessibility-guide

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DOORSOPEN25 - Guests with full price tickets are eligible to take advantage of a special 20% discount on food and drink. Discount available for a la carte and afternoon tea, excludes alcoholic drinks, tea rooms only, must be prebooked. Venue reserves the right to limit discount use at any given time. Valid only for the day of the talk. Quote DOORSOPEN25 when booking and present ticket at table to take advantage of this offer.

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In 2025 The National Trust for Scotland is partnering with Glasgow Doors Open Days to raise awareness of Mackintosh Illuminated.

In December 2024, The National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded a generous £1.1 million package of development funding for Mackintosh Illuminated, a project that will spotlight Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald, sharing, celebrating, and inspiring as many as possible with their creative genius and the beauty of their creations. The project will help make Mackintosh and Macdonald better known and appreciated, internationally and at home, by creating an online learning resource and an expanded programme of property-based community and education work in Helensburgh and Glasgow. The project also encourages more people to visit both sites to get a richer picture of the pair’s skill and versatility. By working in partnership with other Mackintosh stakeholders in Glasgow and more widely, this support will aid in organising celebrations for the 2028 anniversary of Mackintosh’s death and the 160th anniversary of his birth. The funding is also enabling the Trust to continue the vital conservation work at the Hill House, including the full removal of the current render, to find a replacement material which will resolve the longstanding damp issue, remove the Box in 2028 and provide updated, permanent visitor facilities, including a café, shop and toilet facilities at the site on Upper Colquhoun Street in Helensburgh.