There are a vast amount of other local attractions in Buchan and the surrounding area to explore. If your interests include museums, heritage centres, aquariums, or large mansion houses, look no further.
There are a vast amount of other local attractions in Buchan and the surrounding area to explore. If your interests include museums, heritage centres, aquariums, or large mansion houses, look no further.
Museum of Scottish Lighthouses contains a fabulous collection of glass lenses, lighting technology and social history artefacts covering the lives of men and families who guarded Scotland`s coastline. There are audio-visual displays and interactive exhibits that engage both in science and history. The museum also has a cafe with views onto the Moray Firth. Whales, Dolphins and bird life can be seen while you sit in the warmth of the cafe with a cup of tea.
This community museum illustrates the rich history of this north-east Scottish fishing town developed by the 8th Lord Saltoun in 1592. Exhibits commemorate famous sons of Fraserburgh such as Thomas Blake Glover, Japanese industrialist, and Bill Gibb, fashion designer, a fascinating experience for all the family.
Relive the great days of steam trains at the former Maud Railway Station. Sound effects add to the nostalgia of varied displays of railway memorabilia. GNSR memorabilia; photographs of Maud railway heydays; browsing corner with books and photographs. The museum even has a ride on train for children which operates on weekends during the summer.
House, a magnificent example of Baroque architecture. It stands adjacent to the ancient royal burgh of Banff, and was opened in 1995 after extensive restoration. As Scotland’s premier country house gallery and outstation of the National Galleries of Scotland. Apart from containing magnificent paintings, fine pieces of furniture and other artefacts, the house has a shop, tearoom and exhibition spaces for changing displays, talks and public performances.
Discover the wealth of Peterhead’s maritime history in one of Aberdeenshire’s oldest museums. Permanent and temporary displays focus on exploration, fishing and trade, as well as everyday life in the town. Associated industries such as coopering and netmaking are highlighted, while artefacts brought back from around the world by sailors and traders show how far local people travelled in the last 200 years.
Step back in time and visit “Scotland’s Toughest Jail”. Opening in 1888 it closed in December 2013 and little changed within that period. Known as “Scotland’s Alcatraz” you will walk through the halls, cells, former kitchen, shower block, booking in area, courtroom, segregation block, infamous silent cell and hospital complex and much more. This 6 acre site was Scotland’s only true “Convict Prison” [to be sent here meant you had been sentenced to “penal servitude”] it was the home of the first state owned passenger carrying railway in Britain and in 1987 was the scene of the only time the Special Air Service [SAS] was used to end a domestic siege after an officer was held hostage on the roof for 4 days, ending in the early hours of the 5th morning with a daring raid. Hear former officers tell their stories at key points on the route in our award winning audio sets and enjoy the experience within our 5* multi award winning complex.
Situated on Aberdeenshire’s scenic coast in the traditional fishing town of Macduff, Macduff Marine Aquarium features marine life from the Moray Firth, Scotland’s largest bay, in a variety of exciting and innovative exhibits. Visitors come face to face with hundreds of native fish and invertebrates normally only seen by SCUBA divers who brave the chilly waters of the North Sea. The Aquarium’s deep central exhibit, which displays a living kelp reef, is the only one of its kind in Britain and divers hand feed the fish on a regular basis.
The Discovery Centre in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire is the purpose-built home of the museum collections and base for the curatorial team. If you have any enquiries or donations, this is where to reach us. We can offer access to the collections for research and occasionally offer guided tours of the facility – visit our website for more information.
Haddo House was designed by William Adam for the 2nd Earl of Aberdeen on 1732, but refurbished in the 1880’s. The house elegantly blends crisp Georgian architecture with a sumptuous late Victorian interior. Noted for its fine furniture, paintings and objets d’art, Haddo also boasts a delightful terraced garden with geometric and fountain, and lavish herbaceous borders. A magnificent avenue of lime trees leads to Haddo Country Park with its lakes, walks and monuments. Stables restaurant, NTS shop, plant sales area and estate shop is also available.
