Bonus Stop: Statue of Adam Smith

This is Adam Smith! Well, actually we're not sure if this is an accurate depiction of him, in fact, it was created by German sculptor Hans Gasser in around 1867 - that's about 80 years after Smith died!

Perhaps the most reliable depiction of Smith appears on the Tassie medallion, held just a few steps away at the Hunterian Museum.

The role of statues in public spaces has been highly contested in recent years, with many questioning the motivations and mechanisms leading to statue creation, as well as their relevance and impact today.

It is definitely important to recognise that statues do not represent history but mediate a conversation between past and present. The decision of the University to keep this statue on display in such a prominent location, highlights Adam Smith’s continued relevance and importance in the present day. However, it might also mean lots of different things to different people. For example, many students believe that rubbing the statues toe brings them luck in examinations.

The stairs rising behind Smith lead to Bute Hall, where all students of the University graduate nowadays. Interestingly, Smith never actually graduated! In his day it was up to each student to decide when they felt ready to graduate - so we can only assume that Smith felt his journey as a learner never ended!