Dundee Things to Do

A unique four star attraction devoted to the five senses. With over 60 hands-on exhibits depicting the senses, visitors aged from 4 to 104 can experience the magic of science.

From crawling through a giant nose to challenging the robots of Roborealm, the centre will provide hours of fun and stimulation Live science shows, workshops and talks take place regularly covering a spectrum of topics such as creepy crawlies, forensics and the environment.

1 more image

This centre contains The RRS Discovery - the ship used by Scott when he tried to reach the South Pole, early last century (1901-03). The ship is in dry dock, and adjacent to it is a very good visitor centre.

You walk round both the centre and the ship.

They have put 4 penguins (cement - not real ones - but life size and realistic) in the street outside, presumably to confuse the unwary passing by in the dark...

Discovery Point is an all-weather attraction based around the RRS Discovery, the ship used by Captain Scott for his 1901 exploration trip to Antarctica. This is an excellent attraction, one that we consider to be among the best in Scotland and it will appeal to all ages.

Before embarking on the RRS Discovery you are taken through a series of exhibition areas that explain the purpose of Scott's mission, the construction of the Discovery, and the equipment used for Antarctic exploration in the early 1900's. It really is worth reading the details as there are some fascinating facts, but don't worry as there are also films that explain the history of Antarctic exploration and the RSS Discovery. Children will be kept entertained by the hands-on experiments and games.

And then there is the ship! The RSS Discovery has been beautifully restored and you can explore the engine room, cargo hold, galley, mess deck, chart room and the relatively luxurious officers' Wardroom with Captain Scott's cabin looking as if he'd just left. The experience is brought to life by realistic figures and sound effects. Look out for the ship's cat!

4 more images

The Royal Research Ship Discovery has been rehabilitated and is on display at this very nice museum/visitor center run by Dundee Heritage Trust. You can learn a great deal about what it was like to provision for and go on an antartic expedition. The Discovery is Scott's boat. Singleton, of Endurance fame, was one of his crew. You get to go on the ship and actually see the quarters, galley and multipurpose areas. It is a fun and interesting exhibit. The Discover was launched for the national Abntartci Expedition of 1901 and the ship recently cellebrated her 100th birthday. Your sense of awe and respect for these very brave people just keeps growing as you tour the boat and understand what the crew and researchers endured.

3 more images

If you drive or walk to the top of the Law Hill in Dundee you will have an uninterrupted 360 degree panoramic view of the area. You will see from the Tay Estuary, across Dundee to the Kingdom of Fife, up the Tay in the direction of Perth and across to the Sidlaw Hills behind the city. The Law Hill is an ancient volcano (dormant for many, many years) and signs give the geological history of the local area together with directions to viewpoints.

4 more images

Glamis Castle is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore, who open it to the public. It was the childhood home of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, best known as the Queen Mother, and her daughter, Princess Margaret, was born there. A picture of the castle is featured on the Royal Bank of Scotland ten pound note.
The castle is one of the most legended castles in the world, it is “ a soaring pile of keep and towers, turrets and battlements.” It is said to have more dark secrets than any castle in Britain.

Few families are older than the Bowes-Lyons, The Lady and Earl of Strathmore. They had their own army 600 years ago and their own private hangman. King Malcolm II of Scotland was murdered here. Shakespeare placed the murder of Duncan by Macbeth in the stone floored vaulted Duncan’s hall of the castle. And when the Queen mother was a child, she and her sisters always scuttled at top speed through this room.
No family has had a more intriguing past. A Lady Glamis was burnt by James V as a witch, yet a few years later, Mary, Queen of Scots dined with the family and stayed the night. A monster is said to have dwelt in Loch Calder near the castle. There are many bricked up rooms in the castle. Somewhere in the sixteen-foot thick walls is the famous room of skulls, where the Ogilvies family, who sought protection from their enemies the Lindsay’s, were walled up to die of starvation, being no friends of the Strathmores. The tradition of the heavy pile contain much by its appearance and is impressive to the imagination.
There is a tea room in the castle, and the gardens and grounds are also open to the public. They are also open to functions like dinners and weddings.

Admission Rates:
Castle & Grounds Adult £7.30
Grounds Only Adult £3.70

Head down to Dundee Harbour and see if any boats are in. HMS Frigate Unicorn is permanently moored in Victoria Dock and for a small fee you can look around her. The ship has 46 guns, was built in Chatham and was launched in 1824. I wandered around her last summer and it was interesting to see what life was like for those who sailed her. (I defintely wouldn't have liked to work on the lower deck in a heavy sea!). Find more about her history etc on www.frigateunicorn.org

Thr ruins of Resteneth Priory lie in a tranquil setting, just north of Forfar.
The chancel and tower of the churh of Augustinian Canons still remain. The lower part of the tower is very early Romanesque work.

In the care of Historic Scotland -
Admission Free