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Family and adult learning activities
On this page:
- Family Baking Session: Bake strawberry tarts with Jaz Spears (28 June)
- Public Talk: A talk about Rossetti’s Willowwood and the Mackintoshes (6 July)
- Summer Holiday Family Activity: The Glasgow Style for Families – Make a stained glass window hanger (Tuesdays throughout July)
- Summer Holiday Family Activity: The Glasgow Style for Families – Make a mosaic mirror (Wednesdays throughout July)
- Summer Holiday Family Activity: The Glasgow Style for Families – Make an embossed copper badge (Thursdays throughout July)
- Family Baking Session – Bake coconut macaroons with Jaz Spears (12 July)
- Adult Art Workshop: Make an embossed copper box with Bryony Knox (19 July)
- Family Baking Session – Create a cranachan (2 August)
- Adult Art Workshop: Make a floral watercolour with Kayleigh McCallum (9 August)
- Adult Art Workshop: Make a botanical plaster cast with Jo Barrett (6 September)
- Family Baking Session – Bake chocolate marshmallow teacakes (20 September)
- Public Talk: The colours of tea with Dr Yupin Chung (28 September)
- Adult Art Workshop: Make a hand-bound book with Toben Lewis (18 October)
- Adult Art Workshop: Make an embossed copper box with Bryony Knox (15 November)
Family and adult learning activities at Mackintosh at the Willow offer different ways to engage with and discover the stories of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, his wife Margaret Macdonald and their patron, the Edwardian businesswoman Kate Cranston. We run regular adult art workshops, public talks, special seasonal events and a popular family activity programme during the school holidays.
June events
The Scots Kitchen – Family Baking Session: Bake strawberry tarts with Jaz Spears
Saturday 28 June, 11.30am–1.30pm
Tickets: £7
Bring your family along to bake and decorate historical Scottish sweet treats to take home!
In this session, our Head of Pastry, Jazmine Spears, will teach you and your family how to make strawberry tarts. While your sweet treats are baking, we will take you on a family-friendly tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building!
Part of The Scots Kitchen: Saturday Morning Baking Sessions for Families in 2025.
Workshops are suitable for children aged 5–12, but all are welcome. Places are limited, and booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. All children must have a booked paid place, but adults accompanying a child do not need to book paid places.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
July events
The Dug Out – Public Talk: A talk about Rossetti’s Willowwood and the Mackintoshes
Sunday 6 July, 1–2.30pm
Tickets: £7
Are you curious about the decoration of the Salon de Luxe? In this talk Dr Robyne Calvert will discuss the inspiration behind the Salon de Luxe interiors, examining the source of Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh’s gesso panel: Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Willowwood sonnets. The talk will also reveal how Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Rossetti’s narrative throughout the room.
Dr Robyne Calvert, a cultural historian, teaches across the University of Glasgow’s College of Arts & Humanities. A Mackintosh expert, her book The Mack: Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow School of Art (Yale University Press) won the 2024 Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion for Architecture, sponsored by the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain.
Part of The Dug Out: Sunday afternoon talks for the public in 2025.
Dig deeper into the inspirations and history surrounding the original Willow Tea Rooms building with our series of talks for the public. An expert leads all talks in their field and includes a chance to ask questions in one of our historical tea rooms.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
Summer Holiday Family Activity: The Glasgow Style for Families – Make a stained glass window hanger
Tuesday 8 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Tuesday 15 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Tuesday 22 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Tuesday 29 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Tickets: £7
Throughout July, come and learn techniques inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and The Glasgow Style, at a child-friendly level. Each workshop will end with an object to take home.
Workshops are suitable for children aged 5–12 years old, but all are welcome. Places are limited and booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. All children and any adults wishing to make an object must have a booked paid place, but adults who solely accompany a child do not need to book paid places.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
Summer Holiday Family Activity: The Glasgow Style for Families – Make a mosaic mirror
Wednesday 9 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Wednesday 16 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Wednesday 23 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Wednesday 30 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Tickets: £7
Throughout July, come and learn techniques inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and The Glasgow Style, at a child-friendly level. Each workshop will end with an object to take home.
Workshops are suitable for children aged 5–12 years old, but all are welcome. Places are limited and booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. All children and any adults wishing to make an object must have a booked paid place, but adults who solely accompany a child do not need to book paid places.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
Summer Holiday Family Activity: The Glasgow Style for Families – Make an embossed copper badge
Thursday 10 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Thursday 17 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Thursday 24 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Thursday 31 July, 2–3.30pm: Book your tickets online
Tickets: £7
Throughout July, come and learn techniques inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and The Glasgow Style, at a child-friendly level. Each workshop will end with an object to take home.
Workshops are suitable for children aged 5–12 years old, but all are welcome. Places are limited and booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. All children and any adults wishing to make an object must have a booked paid place, but adults who solely accompany a child do not need to book paid places.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
The Scots Kitchen: Family Baking Session – Bake coconut macaroons with Jaz Spears
Saturday 12 July, 11.30am–1.30pm
Tickets: £7
Bring your family along to bake and decorate historical Scottish sweet treats to take home!
In this session, our Head of Pastry, Jazmine Spears, will teach you and your family how to make coconut macaroons. While your sweet treats are baking, we will take you on a family-friendly tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building!
Part of The Scots Kitchen: Saturday Morning Baking Sessions for Families in 2025.
Workshops are suitable for children aged 5–12, but all are welcome. Places are limited, and booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. All children must have a booked paid place, but adults accompanying a child do not need to book paid places.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
The Glasgow Style – Adult Art Workshop: Make an embossed copper box with Bryony Knox
Saturday 19 July, 10.30am–4pm
Tickets: £80 per person
Learn how to create an embossed copper box with tutor Bryony Knox, inspired by Glasgow Style artists such as Margaret Gilmour or Frances Macdonald. The workshop begins with a tour of our historic building, followed by the embossing workshop, and a break for scones, cream, and jam with tea or coffee. All materials, food and drink are included with the ticket price of £80.
Part of The Glasgow Style: Saturday Art Workshops for Adults in 2025
Learn techniques associated with the iconic Glasgow Style in our workshops for adults. All workshops include a guided tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building, professional tuition, and refreshments in our historic tea rooms.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
August events
The Scots Kitchen: Family Baking Session – Create a cranachan
Saturday 2 August, 11.30am–1.30pm
Tickets: £7
Bring your family along to bake and decorate historical Scottish sweet treats to take home!
In this session our Head of Pastry, Jazmine Spears, will teach you and your family how to create a cranachan. While your sweet treats are setting, we will take you on a family-friendly tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building!
Part of The Scots Kitchen: Saturday Morning Baking Sessions for Families in 2025.
Workshops are suitable for children aged 5–12, but all are welcome. Places are limited, and booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. All children must have a booked paid place, but adults accompanying a child do not need to book paid places.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
The Glasgow Style – Adult Art Workshop: Make a floral watercolour with Kayleigh McCallum
Saturday 9 August, 10.30am–4pm
Tickets: £85 per person
Learn how to create a floral painting in watercolours with tutor Kayleigh McCallum, inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s botanical paintings. The workshop begins with a tour of our historic building, followed by the watercolour workshop, and a break for soup and a sandwich with tea or coffee. All materials, food and drink are included with the ticket price of £85.
Part of The Glasgow Style: Saturday Art Workshops for Adults in 2025
Learn techniques associated with the iconic Glasgow Style in our workshops for adults. All workshops include a guided tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building, professional tuition, and refreshments in our historic tea rooms.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
September events
The Glasgow Style – Adult Art Workshop: Make a botanical plaster cast with Jo Barrett
Saturday 6 September, 10.30am–4pm
Tickets: £75
Learn how to create a botanical plaster cast with tutor Jo Barrett, inspired by the Charles Rennie Mackintosh plaster casts in our front saloon. The workshop begins with a tour of our historic building, followed by the plaster cast workshop, and a break for soup and a sandwich with tea or coffee. All materials, food and drink are included with the ticket price of £75.
Part of The Glasgow Style: Saturday Art Workshops for Adults in 2025.
In our adult workshops, you can learn techniques associated with the iconic Glasgow Style. All workshops include a guided tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building, professional tuition, and refreshments in our historic tea rooms.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
The Scots Kitchen: Family Baking Session – Bake chocolate marshmallow teacakes
Saturday 20 September, 11.30am–1.30pm
Tickets: £7
Bring your family along to bake and decorate historical Scottish sweet treats to take home!
In this session our Head of Pastry, Jazmine Spears, will teach you and your family how to bake chocolate marshmallow teacakes.
While your sweet treats are baking, we will take you on a family-friendly tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building!
Part of The Scots Kitchen: Saturday Morning Baking Sessions for Families in 2025.
Workshops are suitable for children aged 5–12, but all are welcome. Places are limited, and booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. All children must have a booked paid place, but adults accompanying a child do not need to book paid places.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
The Dug Out – Public Talk: The colours of tea with Dr Yupin Chung
Sunday 28 September, 1–2.30pm
Tickets: £7
From one plant, tea makers can create different categories of tea. In this talk, Yupin will explore the colours of tea, followed by a unique tea tasting. Enjoy the delicate flavours of teas enhanced by the sweetness of Scotland’s famous soft water.
Dr Yupin Chung is a curator, art historian and Chair of The Seven Strings – Tea Connoisseur Society based in Glasgow. Drawing on historical sources and her own extensive experiences as she journeyed throughout China, Yupin not only provides piquant impressions of a beauty now departed but also gives practical information for the enjoyment of fine teas and of the attractive ceramic accessories that enrich the experience of brewing and drinking varied teas. In her research areas she specialises in oriental design influences in the Western world, the visual culture of tea and the Scottish tea merchants.
Part of The Dug Out: Sunday afternoon talks for the public in 2025.
Dig deeper into the inspirations and history surrounding the original Willow Tea Rooms building with our series of talks for the public. An expert leads all talks in their field and includes a chance to ask questions in one of our historical tea rooms.
To enquire further, please contact us on obraid@nts.org.uk or 0141 204 1903.
October events
The Glasgow Style – Adult Art Workshop: Make a hand-bound book with Toben Lewis
Saturday 18 October, 10.30am–4pm
Tickets: £95 per person
Learn how to create a hand-bound book with tutor Toben Lewis, inspired by Glasgow Style artists such as Talwin Morris and Ethel Larcombe. The workshop begins with a tour of our historic building, followed by the bookbinding workshop, and a break for soup and a sandwich with tea or coffee. All materials, food and drink are included in the ticket price of £95.
Part of The Glasgow Style: Saturday Art Workshops for Adults in 2025
Learn techniques associated with the iconic Glasgow Style in our workshops for adults. All workshops include a guided tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building, professional tuition, and refreshments in our historic tea rooms.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
November events
The Glasgow Style – Adult Art Workshop: Make an embossed copper box with Bryony Knox
Saturday 15 November, 10.30am–4pm
Tickets: £80 per person
An extra date due to popular demand! Learn how to create an embossed copper box with tutor Bryony Knox, inspired by Glasgow Style artists such as Margaret Gilmour or Frances Macdonald. The workshop begins with a tour of our historic building, followed by the embossing workshop, and a break for scones, cream, and jam with tea or coffee. All materials, food and drink are included with the ticket price of £80.
Part of The Glasgow Style: Saturday Art Workshops for Adults in 2025
Learn techniques associated with the iconic Glasgow Style in our workshops for adults. All workshops include a guided tour of the original Willow Tea Rooms building, professional tuition, and refreshments in our historic tea rooms.
To enquire further, please contact obraid@nts.org.uk on 0141 204 1903.
