Occupying a four-storey monolith behind Waverly Station, the City Art Centre, as its solid, no-nonsense name suggests, is something more definitive and substantial than a mere gallery. It’s an art centre, a space as functional and useful as it is given to creative musings. The highly logical layout guides visitors on a fairly linear path through a series of bright, escalator-linked spaces to the top of the building before depositing them via elevator on the ground floor (or, if they’re canny enough to spot the button, in the basement, a sort of secret bonus gallery for the observant).
Being a local authority-run space, the content also reflects a desire to please the public: you’re as likely to see exhibitions of Doctor Who and Star Wars memorabilia as you are Scottish classics or challenging, international artworks. Whatever the subject matter, you can be sure it’ll be cleanly displayed with respect and understanding.