All animal museums to visit in Scotland

Delve into the diverse world of animals at 23 animal museums in Scotland. These museums showcase a variety of species, habitats, and the role of animals in our ecosystem.

Are you an animal lover looking to explore the best animal museums in Scotland? Here are your best options:

  1. National Museum of Scotland1

    National Museum of Scotland

     Edinburgh
    The National Museum of Scotland, located in Edinburgh, was established in 2006 as a result of the merger of two adjacent museums: the Scotland Museum and the Royal Museum. The Scotland Museum is home to collections that shed light on Scottish antiquity, culture, and history. On the other hand, the Royal Museum houses collections that cover a wide range of topics, including science and technology, natural history, and world cultures.
  2. Edinburgh Zoo2

    Edinburgh Zoo

     Edinburgh
    Have an unforgettable day out at Edinburgh Zoo, home of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and over 2,500 incredible animals from around the world! Set in over 82 acres of wooded hillside, the zoo is open seven days a week and is a gateway to the natural world, where you can experience
  3. Scottish Seabird Centre3

    Scottish Seabird Centre

     North Berwick
    The Scottish Seabird Centre, located in North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland, is a marine conservation and education charity. It is also an award-winning visitor attraction, offering a unique opportunity to learn about marine conservation and the diverse marine life that inhabits the surrounding waters.
  4. West Highland Museum4

    West Highland Museum

     Fort William
    The West Highland Museum is situated in the heart of Fort William. It is dedicated to narrating the rich history of the Scottish Highlands and the Islands. The museum covers a wide range of topics related to West Highland history, making it a comprehensive source of information for those interested in learning about the region's past.
  5. National Museum of Rural Life Scotland5

    National Museum of Rural Life Scotland

     East Kilbride
    The National Museum of Rural Life is a unique institution dedicated to the preservation and presentation of Scotland's agricultural and rural history. Located on the Wester Kittochside Farm, nestled between East Kilbride in South Lanarkshire and Carmunnock near Glasgow, the museum offers a fascinating insight into the country's farming past. Visitors can explore the museum's extensive collection, which spans 4600 square meters, and the Georgian buildings of the Wester Kittochside Farm.
  6. 6

    Almond Valley Heritage Centre

     Livingston
    Livingston Mill, a well-preserved, functional undershot water mill from 1770, is another highlight of the Almond Valley Heritage Centre. The mill, which produced oatmeal, was saved from demolition in the late 1960s thanks to a campaign. Volunteers restored the dilapidated water mill and the agricultural buildings with the support of the city development company. The mill is under category B listed building protection and was made accessible to the public in 1985 as Livingston Mill Farm and since 1990 by the Almond Valley Heritage Trust.
  7. Hawick Museum and the Scott Art Gallery7

    Hawick Museum and the Scott Art Gallery

     Hawick
    Hawick Museum and the Scott Art Gallery is a museum in Hawick. The museum features exhibits related to Weapons and War, Science and Technology, World Cultures, Fine Art, Natural Sciences, Personalities, Land Transport, Costume and Textiles, Decorative and Applied Art, Coins and Medals, Archaeology,
  8. Kirbuster Museum8

    Kirbuster Museum

     Birsay
    Kirbuster Museum is the last un-restored example of a traditional ‘firehoose’ in Northern Europe. The house has a central hearth, complete with peat fire, and a stone neuk bed reminiscent of the Neolithic interiors that can be seen at sites such as Skara Brae, Orkney. The site also has an Edwardian
  9. Bute Museum9

    Bute Museum

     Rothesay
    Bute Museum is a museum in Isle of Bute. The museum features exhibits related to Social History, Personalities, Natural Sciences, Weapons and War, Costume and Textiles, Maritime, Archives, Archaeology, Science and Technology, Fine Art, Coins and Medals and Land Transport. Key themes, people and exhi
  10. Montrose Museum and Art Gallery10

    Montrose Museum and Art Gallery

     Montrose
    Montrose Museum and Art Gallery features exhibits related to Religion, Social History, Archaeology, Music, Coins and Medals, Maritime, Trade and Commerce, Weapons and War, Decorative and Applied Art, Law and Order, Natural Sciences, Costume and Textiles, Personalities, Fine Art, Land Transport, Scie
  11. Glasgow Museums Resource Centre11

    Glasgow Museums Resource Centre

     Glasgow
    The Open Museum, located in Glasgow, Scotland, is a unique community museum that operates from the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre. This innovative museum concept aims to bring museum collections beyond the traditional confines of museum walls and into the wider Glasgow community. It is part of a larger network of ten museums under the umbrella of Glasgow Museums.
  12. Corrigall Farm Museum12

    Corrigall Farm Museum

     Harray
    Corrigall Farm Museum is a traditional ‘but and ben’ laid out as a typical Orkney farmhouse and steading in Victorian/late 19th century period. The site has a working barn, grain kiln, horse-drawn machinery and livestock, making an interesting visit for children and adults. A traditional peat fire h
  13. Aberdeen University, Zoology Museum13

    Aberdeen University, Zoology Museum

     Aberdeen
    The Zoology Museum, located within the Zoology Building, is home to a wide array of exhibits from the university's collections. These exhibits showcase specimens that span over a century, from the 1840s to the late 1970s. This extensive collection provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of various species and the progress of zoological studies over time.
  14. Glenesk Folk Museum14

    Glenesk Folk Museum

     Glenesk
    Glenesk Folk Museum is an independent museum set in the midst of Glenesk, one of the five Angus Glens. Opened in 1955 by its creator and original curator, local schoolteacher Greta Michie, the museum existed in a building called The Retreat. This was built for Captain Wemyss in the 1840s as a huntin
  15. Bell Pettigrew Museum15

    Bell Pettigrew Museum

     Saint Andrews
    Bell Pettigrew Museum is a museum in St Andrews. The museum features exhibits related to: natural sciences.
  16. Water of Leith Visitor Centre16

    Water of Leith Visitor Centre

     Edinburgh
    Water of Leith Visitor Centre is a museum in Edinburgh. The museum features exhibits related to: inland waterways and natural sciences.
  17. Anatomical museum17

    Anatomical museum

     Edinburgh
    Anatomical museum is a museum in Edinburgh which holds a collection of around 12,000 objects and specimens that tell the story of 300 years of anatomical teaching at the University of Edinburgh. The collection is partly related to pathology, anatomy and zoology with anatomical teaching models, human
  18. Ceumannan – Staffin Ecomuseum18

    Ceumannan – Staffin Ecomuseum

     Elishader
    Ceumannan – Staffin Ecomuseum is a museum in Isle of Skye. The museum features exhibits related to: agriculture, social history and archaeology. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include: palaeontology and dinosaurs, social and cultural history, prehistory and archaeology and geology.
  19. Torridon Countryside Centre19

    Torridon Countryside Centre

     Torridon
    The estate takes in Liathach, 1,054m (3,456ft) and Beinn Alligin, 985m (3,230ft), composed mainly of Torridonian sandstone dating back 750 million years. Renowned for its geology and nature and Highland scenery.
  20. 20

    Westray Heritage Centre

     Orkney
    We are situated in the centre of Pierowall village in Westray next door to the Pierowall Hotel. Inside we have an annual display plus permanent exhibition panels on walls, and GEO with model seabirds and sounds. There are also interactive displays which will attract youngsters, many records of the i
  21. 21

    Arbuthnot Museum and Gallery

     Peterhead
    Arbuthnot Museum and Gallery is a museum in Peterhead. The museum features exhibits related to Social History, Fine Art, Coins and Medals, Maritime, World Cultures, Archives and Land Transport. Key themes, people and exhibits in the museum include Northern Scotland's largest coin collections, Arctic
  22. 22

    D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum

     Dundee
    The D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum is a zoological museum located at the University of Dundee in Scotland. It was founded in the 1880s by D'Arcy Thompson, a Scottish biologist and mathematician. The museum is named in his honor, reflecting his significant contributions to the field of biology and mathematics.
  23. 23

    University of Edinburgh, Natural History Collections

     Edinburgh
    University of Edinburgh, Natural History Collections is a museum in Edinburgh. The museum features exhibits related to: natural sciences.