museums and galleries in Scotland

Scottish Museums & Galleries

This collection spans Scotland's diverse heritage, from the neoclassical Scottish National Gallery and the underground history of Mary King’s Close to the Zaha Hadid-designed Riverside Museum in Glasgow. It features specialized sites like the North West Highlands Geopark’s Rock Stop and the Viking heritage of Unst. Visitors can explore local social history at Comunn Eachdraidh Nis on Lewis, agricultural life at Orkney’s Kirbuster Farm Museum, and the unique architecture of the Dunmore Pineapple folly.

Scottish Museums & Galleries — Map

A

Scottish National Gallery

Art museum housed in a neoclassical building featuring a collection of Scottish and European artworks from the 14th to the mid-20th century.

The Real Mary King's Close / Public domain

B

The Real Mary King's Close

Mary King's Close is a historic close located under the Edinburgh City Chambers building on the Royal Mile, in the historic Old Town area…

Derek Harper / CC BY-SA 2.0

C

The Scotch Whisky Experience

The ultimate whisky attraction offering a journey through the distilling process.

dave souza / GFDL

D

Queen's Cross Church

Queen's Cross Church is a former Church of Scotland parish church in Glasgow, Scotland.

Globaltraveller / CC-BY-SA-3.0

E

Dynamic Earth

Dynamic Earth is a not-for-profit visitor attraction and science centre in Edinburgh, and is Scotland's largest interactive visitor…

Mussklprozz / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

Duff House

Duff House is a Georgian estate house in Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Midwich Cuckoo / CC BY-SA 4.0

G

Riverside Museum

The Riverside Museum is a museum in Glasgow, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, housed in a building at Pointhouse Quay in the Glasgow…

H

SWG3

Multi-disciplinary arts venue and gallery in a former warehouse, hosting street art exhibitions and contemporary installations in Glasgow's West End.

I

Viking Longhouse

Reconstructed building in Unst based on excavations at Hamar, showcasing Norse building techniques and domestic life.

J

Tangwick Haa Museum

Located in a former laird’s house from 1691, this museum documents the social and maritime history of Northmavine, Shetland.

K

RAF Saxa Vord Exhibition

Exhibition detailing the history of the RAF radar station on Unst, which played a strategic role during the Cold War.

L

Viking Longship

Full-scale replica of the Gokstad ship, known as the Skidbladner, located in Haroldswick, Unst.

Orikrin1998 / CC BY-SA 3.0

M

Glenluce Abbey

Glenluce Abbey, near to Glenluce, Scotland, was a Cistercian monastery called also Abbey of Luce or Vallis Lucis and founded around 1190…

Otter / CC BY-SA 3.0

N

Dunmore Pineapple

The Dunmore Pineapple is a folly in Dunmore Park, near Airth in Stirlingshire, Scotland.

Julian Paren / CC BY-SA 2.0

O

Shetland Museum and Archives

The Shetland Museum and Archives is a museum in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland.

P

Castlehill Heritage Center

Housed in a former dairy, this center focuses on the history of the Caithness flagstone industry and the local parish of Olrig.

Q

Comunn Eachdraidh Nis

Community-run museum and archive on the Isle of Lewis, preserving the social history, language, and culture of the North Lewis area.

R

Kirbuster Farm Museum

The last un-restored example of a traditional Orkney longhouse, featuring a central hearth and fireback illustrating 19th-century island farming life.

S

Rock Stop and Cafe

Visitor center for the North West Highlands UNESCO Global Geopark, featuring exhibitions on Scotland’s complex geological history and the Moine Thrust.

T

Portsoy Salmon Bothy

Restored 18th-century salmon house containing a museum dedicated to the history of Portsoy’s salmon fishing industry and local trade.

Other Lists

Scotland's Crown Jewels Editor's Choice: Scotland's Best Scotland's Hidden Gems Scotland's Heritage Trail Iconic Castles of Scotland Scottish Religious Sites Beaches and Lighthouses Scotland's Natural Wonders