GISscience 2023

Attractions

Leeds, and the University itself, have loads to offer to keep you busy if you want to spend some time exploring during your visit.

GIScience Walking Tour

We have organised a special walking tour for conference delegates on Wednesday 13th September, 17:00-19:00. Full details here. Places are limitted and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. We will email out further details once the early bird registration closes.

23 Things to do in Leeds

For the latest cultural activities, sites to see, or activities further afield, have a look at our 23 things to do in Leeds page.

Or if you only have 30 mins ...

... and don't want to venture too far, here are some things you can do on campus.

Visit the University Gallery; as well as the extensive displays from the University collection, the gallery is also currently housing the work of the top four arts and design graduates. This is in the Parkinson Building (see picture): go up the front steps, and when you get into the main hall, turn left and the gallery is just along the wall.

Photo of the Parkinson Building

 

Visit the Treasures of the Brotherton. The University has a fantastic special collection section in its Brotherton library, and this museum displays some of the best. As well as the permanent displays, there is currently an exhibition of the University's internationally renowned collection of cookery books. The collection is in the Parkinson Building: go up the front steps, and when you get into the main hall, turn right and the rooms are just along the wall.

Visit the Textiles Museum or the Marks and Spencer's Archive. Leeds grew on the back of the textiles industry, and the University was, in part, cofunded by clothworkers to provide a scientific foundation and training for the town industry. The University still has a textiles department, as well as an extensive clothing and retail archive in the form of the Marks and Spencer's Archive, but it also has a wonderful Textiles Museum (open Tues;Wed;Thur). As well as textiles, this is currently housing an exhibition of Japanese Katagami stencils. To find the museum, walk up the road alongside the Great Hall (see photo) and keep walking until you come to a set of traffic lights. Over the road, you'll see the back of the chapel housing the museum. To get in, walk up the left side of the chapel, go through the rotating doors, and double back down the corridor into the chapel. To find the Marks and Spencer's Archive, go to the rotating doors; with these at your back, go down the steps across the plaza to the front and right of you. Walk into the field. The archive is the large building covered in brown mirrored material. There's also a map on their website.

Photo of the Great Hall

 

Go on the University Public Art walk. The University has an extensive collection of sculpture, and there's a nice walk designed to take you around it. For more information, see the website.

Hit a café or food stall. The Uni is warming up towards term, and there are plenty of small cafés and bars in the Union. To get to the Union, walk down the road alongside the Great Hall until you see a round plaza containing a giant sculpture of two black wiggles (Keith Wilson's "Sign for Art"; see photo). Cross this diagonally, and walk up the road/slight hill. Walk through the old manor house gateway, and the Union is the building on the left. It's a complete maze, but most of the cafés, shops, and bars are downstairs. Go in the building and keep going ahead, and you'll reach the stairs down to the shops and cafés. To the left of these stairs are stairs up to the Terrace Bar. At the bottom of the stairs to the shops and cafés, double back on yourself and continue down to reach the Old Bar.

A photo of the Sign for Art

 

Go Hunting Pokémon on Campus or go GeoCaching (there's more than one on campus)! Go on - Gotta Catch 'Em All!

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