Broughty Castle Museum
Broughty Castle Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
12:30 PM - 4:00 PM
About
Broughty Castle sits imposingly at the mouth of the River Tay. Built in 1496 on a rocky promontory, it has faced many sieges and battles. Today, it houses fascinating displays on the life and times of Broughty Ferry, its people, the environment and the wildlife that live close by. The Castle has magnificent views over the river, and is only minutes away from Broughty Ferry Beach and Esplanade. It's a 'must-see' attraction if you're visiting Broughty Ferry, and offers something for everyone, with a changing programme of events, activities and displays.
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- TassieRosemary14 contributionsLocal history & art collection, worth your time.Beautiful art exhibition on one floor. Loads of history about Broughty Ferry. Helpful staff and nice gift shop (picked up some children's activity items). Looks plain from the outside, however is worth a visit.Thank you for your lovely review and 5*.Written 5 October 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 4 October 2023
- Marguerita43Clacton-on-Sea, United Kingdom12 contributionsWindy day in dundeeOn a short break to Dundee. Decided to visit , so popped on a Xplore Dundee bus 5a from centre of town . Bus stopped around 20 mins walk away , so not two far . Quit windy the day we went , but didn’t affect the tour . Observation deck wasn’t open , but I guess that could have been down to the weather . Very interesting and informative of local past times etc . On a summer day i would imagine it would be stunning area .5* thank you, hopefully you will revisit when it is a nicer day!Written 1 February 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 30 January 2024
- RedStockport, United Kingdom467 contributionsInterestingFascinating history going back to the 1400's. On a rocky outcrop at the mouth of the Tay so was an important fortress in its day. Acquired by the War Office in 1855 who intended to use it as a defence against possible attack from the Russians. Due to the threat from possible French invasion it was re-fortified in 1860 and then further altered due to the German threat in later years. Now a museum with many interesting artefacts on display manned by friendly, helpful staff. Worth climbing the spiral staircase in the tower for the fantastic views across the Tay.A lovely review - thank you!Written 18 March 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 11 March 2024
- SheyMDundee, United Kingdom32 contributionsFree, fabulous and friendlySmashing place, steeped in history, with spectacular views up, down and across the River Tay. Friendly staff, an emphasis on local history, plus an art gallery and a nice bit for kids, makes this quite the place to spend a few hours. That's before we get to the superb on the beach location. and the fact it's a short stroll from 'Ferry central.' What's more it's free."Free, fabulous and friendly" great title for your review - thank you!Written 18 March 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 16 March 2024
- Steven PLanark, United Kingdom43 contributionsGood look at some historyGood wee visit to see some history and it will amaze you what they have in what looks like a small building. It’s a lovely view from the viewing window at the top. The stairs are quite steep inside but okThank you for your review, its appreciated.Written 29 April 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited April 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 April 2024
- KiwijakLondon, United Kingdom37 contributionsDon’t hesitate! Go!The member of Staff who talked to us was fantastic! He was so knowledgeable, engaging and all round brilliant! I couldn’t recommend this castle and museum highly enough. If you go I hope you meet him and you won’t be disappointed. It’s free too!Thank you for your review and recommendation.Written 13 June 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited June 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 4 June 2024
- travelleronthego82Gurugram (Gurgaon), India156 contributionsGood place for history loversA castle turned museum right on the Broughtyferry beach. It is a good activity for those looking to know about the city's history and the associated arts. Be prepared to climb up some steep stairs as the museum is situated over 3 floors which are approachable only via stairs.Thank you for your review and 4*!Written 1 July 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 28 June 2024
- Oscardog16Adelaide, Australia2,064 contributionsGreat spot for dolphin spotting.Went to view the castle and had the bonus dolphin or ten. The castle was a private home that fell to rack and ruin. It was restored for military use. The tower has 4 floors of exhibits including the history of Broughty Ferry. It is free to enter and can be covered in one hour. There is free car parking nearby and a toilet inside the castle.A lovely review and a bonus of seeing the dolphins, 4* thank you!Written 26 July 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 23 July 2024
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4.5
571 reviews
Excellent
259
Very good
240
Average
64
Poor
4
Terrible
4
Cforbes112
1 contribution
Feb 2020 • Family
Visited today with my husband and baby son. The weather was awful and we thought the castle would be a nice place to kill a few hours. In actual fact I wouldn’t recommend spending more than 20 mins there. The only good reason to visit is the view. As it is supposed to be a family friendly place I was surprised to find there were no baby changing facilities so I had no other option to change my son in a quite room at the top of the castle as this was the only suitably flat place. We laid a mat down and made sure we took all of his waste materials away with us however upon leaving a member of staff stopped us to give us a strict telling of for changing our son in a grade 2 listed building!! I was mortified and disgusted by their attitude and it was a terrible end to a terrible visit. I would not recommend to any one wanting to visit a family friendly environment.
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback. We regret that you did not enjoy your visit. We pride ourselves on our customer focussed welcome and are disappointed that on this occasion you feel we did not reach our usual standards. We welcome your feedback and will discuss it with our staff.
Written 21 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rantin rover
Biggar, UK9,047 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
I enjoy visiting castles and when we were walking the promenade at Broughty Ferry it seemed only natural to look in to see this one sited on the waterfront. I wouldn’t class it as a “must see“.
Although parts of the castle date back to the 15th century, the surrounding walls have been adapted for more recent times to house guns during World War I & II. There are however a few old canons in place to set the scene.
There is no admission fee to the castle which is maintained by Historic Scotland. Nowadays it houses the Broughty Ferry museum which is operated by Dundee Council in a very traditional style. The museum has items on display mostly of local interest but these also include a selection of paintings from the Victorian collection of a local businessman who supported the arts. These paintings include some by Scottish masters. The armoury on the upper level contains weapons which were used by those who previously manned the castle over time.
It is important to note that access to the building is limited to the able bodied via steep spiral staircases.
Some of the items in the shop at ground level will be of interest to children and whilst we were visiting some kids were taking part in art-based activities next to the armoury. We’re not sure why, but at the time the observation post at roof level was closed and we didn’t get the views along the coastline which are apparently a main attraction. Looking through the windows wasn’t really much help as these were needing cleaned.
There are lots of items to browse and reading material if you have an interest in the local history.
From a practical point of view there are toilets on the second floor however no café. For this reason we had to go in search of a bite to eat and coffee elsewhere and eventually found something to suit in Gray Street.
Although parts of the castle date back to the 15th century, the surrounding walls have been adapted for more recent times to house guns during World War I & II. There are however a few old canons in place to set the scene.
There is no admission fee to the castle which is maintained by Historic Scotland. Nowadays it houses the Broughty Ferry museum which is operated by Dundee Council in a very traditional style. The museum has items on display mostly of local interest but these also include a selection of paintings from the Victorian collection of a local businessman who supported the arts. These paintings include some by Scottish masters. The armoury on the upper level contains weapons which were used by those who previously manned the castle over time.
It is important to note that access to the building is limited to the able bodied via steep spiral staircases.
Some of the items in the shop at ground level will be of interest to children and whilst we were visiting some kids were taking part in art-based activities next to the armoury. We’re not sure why, but at the time the observation post at roof level was closed and we didn’t get the views along the coastline which are apparently a main attraction. Looking through the windows wasn’t really much help as these were needing cleaned.
There are lots of items to browse and reading material if you have an interest in the local history.
From a practical point of view there are toilets on the second floor however no café. For this reason we had to go in search of a bite to eat and coffee elsewhere and eventually found something to suit in Gray Street.
Written 24 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for your review.
Written 29 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
James B
Okehampton, UK257 contributions
Aug 2021
The harbour walk was delightful as we enjoyed the really pleasant day. However the castle was closed and it is worth checking to see when it would be open.
The inlet waters around the museum are dirty, and the general land area was littered with a variety of discarded items that provided a poor appearance.
The inlet waters around the museum are dirty, and the general land area was littered with a variety of discarded items that provided a poor appearance.
Written 30 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are working towards reopening the castle following COVID-19 restrictions and Scottish Government guidance. Do keep an eye on our website and social media for updates. We hope you will come back to revisit us and look forward to welcoming you.
Written 10 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jenny B
Nottingham, UK204 contributions
Jun 2022
We tried to visit today, nothing online says it is shut. All roads to castle museum front closed, diversion takes you back onto closed roads. When we did find parking no signage for pedestrians to access the castle museum, we tried 3 ways, all blocked off. Very poor.
Written 24 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We regret the difficulties you have experienced as a result of the ongoing flood defence works. Broughty Castle Museum remains open. There should be clear signage, organised by the flood defence works project managers, that indicates that the Museum is open and shows the routes visitors should follow to gain access. We will report the issues you have identified to the project managers and ask that they look at it as a priority.
We thank you for reporting this.
Written 29 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GWoolfe
Scarborough, UK81 contributions
Feb 2023
Great place to visit, enjoyed learning about life in the area which covered pre-history and explained how the castle interacted with the area. Set up over a few floors, there were lots of information boards and a nice art gallery. The very top floor had an observation deck looking out over the river.
Free to enter, you have to use stairs to see the different floors (which are the spiral staircases.) Friendly and informative staff.
Free to enter, you have to use stairs to see the different floors (which are the spiral staircases.) Friendly and informative staff.
Written 5 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A lovely review, thank you!
Written 7 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Marcella B
Rio de Janeiro, RJ50 contributions
Jul 2022
Broughty Ferry worths a visit. I liked the neighborhood a lot. In general Scottish people are very nice and like to talk abou there culture. A taxi from centre Dundee costs 10 pounds and generally the drives are from the area with a lot of nice stories about the castle. The castle is beautiful and staff very happy to explain everything.. I felt myself in Outlander...
Written 16 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your lovely review!
Written 19 August 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
travelleronthego82
Gurugram (Gurgaon), India156 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
A castle turned museum right on the Broughtyferry beach. It is a good activity for those looking to know about the city's history and the associated arts. Be prepared to climb up some steep stairs as the museum is situated over 3 floors which are approachable only via stairs.
Written 29 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review and 4*!
Written 1 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
kameko
Edinburgh, UK148 contributions
May 2022
Visited on a day trip to Broughty Ferry.
Nice little museum with a varied collection of local artefacts. The staff were very helpful and willing to chat.
Quite a steep climb up the spiral stone staircase to the top floor - my legs felt wobbly after I left!
Free to enter.
Nice little museum with a varied collection of local artefacts. The staff were very helpful and willing to chat.
Quite a steep climb up the spiral stone staircase to the top floor - my legs felt wobbly after I left!
Free to enter.
Written 4 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review and 5 stars!
Written 10 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ben D
Southampton, UK17 contributions
Aug 2022
Lovely little castle and loved that it was free. Spent about an hour here, my 4-year old loved it - espeically the arts and crafts. Nice scernary and history. Staff were lovely and great bants.
Written 18 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lovely to hear that you both enjoyed your visit.
Written 19 August 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
lized999
Beverley, UK48 contributions
Oct 2020
Broughty Castle was on my weekend itinerary, so, having checked the website, I rushed over there in time for an afternnon visit. The location is great, and the weather was remarkably kind, but though the board said it would be open there was no sign of accessibility. Perhaps Covid? But there was no information outside about the history of the castle, so all I got was an interesting but somewhat frustrating walk around the perimeter, and lovely views from the riverside path
Written 29 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are many websites which advertise Broughty Castle, however our managed website is kept up to date regarding Covid and restrictions during the pandemic.
We do hope that you can return in the future and visit us.
Written 24 November 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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