A new exhibition will explore the history of the Edinburgh’s North Bridge through film and historical objects.
The display, which centres on a new film documenting the complex £86 million restoration of the structure ahead of its reopening, will run from July 18 to September 13, 2026 at the City Art Centre.
Original pieces removed from the bridge will be displayed alongside artworks from the city’s Fine Art Collection.
The film, Study for North Bridge, was created by artists Rachel McBrinn and Jonathan Webb. Commissioned by the local authority, it combines real-life footage of the extensive repairs with imagined scenes. The narrative uses the voice of a fictional art historian from the future to examine how events are recorded.
Artifacts from the bridge are the main subject of Rachel McBrinn and Jonathan Webb’s film © The City of Edinburgh Council
The title references preparatory sketches, reflecting the film’s focus on the restoration process rather than the finished structure. It offers a fresh perspective on the Victorian bridge as the major eight-year refurbishment programme draws to a close this summer.
The Grade A-listed structure, which spans Waverley Station, was originally constructed between 1894 and 1897 by Sir William Arrol. Inspections between 2014 and 2017 identified serious defects, prompting the massive project that began in 2018.
Initially slated for completion in Autumn 2020, the restoration was complicated by Covid and the discovery that the bridge was in significantly worse condition than expected.
A thick layer of bituminous paint applied during the last major refurbishment in the 1930s had disguised severe corrosion and missing steelwork across the 6,300 structural sections under the deck.
Engineers have spent years grit-blasting layers of old paint, contaminants, and accumulated pigeon guano, while repairing concrete and redesigning historical cast-iron facades.
Objects uncovered from the bridge, as well as new artworks, will be displayed © The City of Edinburgh Council
Visitors to the City Art Centre exhibition can see pieces of the historic fabric removed during these works, alongside paintings charting the bridge’s 300-year history.
Guided walking tours, delivered in partnership with Invisible Cities, will accompany the exhibition, exploring the people, places and stories that have shaped the structure.
Construction workers have been at work on the site for more than five years now © The City of Edinburgh Council
Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “North Bridge is one of Edinburgh’s most important civic landmarks and has connected communities across the city for more than 130 years.
“As we look forward to the bridge reopening this summer, this exhibition offers a fascinating opportunity to reflect not only on the engineering achievement of its restoration, but also on the stories, memories and meanings attached to the structure.”
This article is provided by the news agency Deadline News Limited and published here with permission.
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