Scottish Maritime Museum
Scottish Maritime Museum
Scottish Maritime Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Scottish Maritime Museum is based in the west of Scotland,with sites in Irvine and Dumbarton. At these two sites, the Museum holds an important nationally recognised collection, encompassing a variety of historic ships, artefacts, shipbuilding machinery, machine tools, and fascinating personal items.Many of these exhibits can be found inside the Linthouse Building in Irvine, a unique Grade A listed, 19th-century historic building known as the Linthouse Engine Shop 'Cathedral of Engineering and at the Denny Tank in Dumbarton, the world's first commercial ship model experiment tank.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingWhat is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
102 within 5 kms
Attractions
85 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
269 reviews
Excellent
162
Very good
81
Average
15
Poor
6
Terrible
5
Scottish-Hidden-Gems🏴💎
Ayrshire, UK9,420 contributions
Dec 2021 • Friends
This is a wonderful museum with so many interesting exhibits to see, you can easy spend a good few hours here, as there are various sections to it, from the linthouse, the ship workers flat, a trail along the harbour with many boats to explore, a tearoom, 2 shops, the puffer cafe.
I have visited it many times over the years and today there was a xmas market inside which was really good and I really enjoyed the glass blowing demonstration, hope to see many more events in the future. It's well worth visiting here!
I have visited it many times over the years and today there was a xmas market inside which was really good and I really enjoyed the glass blowing demonstration, hope to see many more events in the future. It's well worth visiting here!
Written 4 December 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.
vessi80
North Lanarkshire, UK1,213 contributions
Jul 2022
Guaranteed to float your boat ! Welcoming Staff and plenty to keep all ages informed and entertained .
Irvine used to be the West of Scotland's busiest port. Inside the stylish hangar and out dockside there is a vast collection of vessels, engines, machinery and tools bringing the shipbuilding industry to life.
Loved the display about the Clyde Puffers and the stories about the individual crafts and crew were very moving. The Lifeboat History is also fascinating.
Great cafe with nautical theme of course.
Irvine used to be the West of Scotland's busiest port. Inside the stylish hangar and out dockside there is a vast collection of vessels, engines, machinery and tools bringing the shipbuilding industry to life.
Loved the display about the Clyde Puffers and the stories about the individual crafts and crew were very moving. The Lifeboat History is also fascinating.
Great cafe with nautical theme of course.
Written 30 July 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.
JHNB1
Cambridge, UK236 contributions
Jul 2021
An excellent museum with so much to see for all. Obviously many boats in all stages of restoration and many complete and we really likes the machinery section. Children also have activities for a more personal focus. This museum also has an outdoor section and a bookshop and café close to the quay front. The street area is also very interesting architecturally with many original buildings from when this area was more industrial.
Written 5 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.
Norman M
Edinburgh, UK343 contributions
Jul 2023
My first visit here. To Irvine in fact, which is a prettier town than I'd thought. The museum occupies a large (transported from elsewhere) historic factory. Inside, there are many interesting exhibits of historical engineering artefacts, attesting to the ubiquity of Scottish maritime engineering.
There are also quite a number of intact smaller vessels.
Some of the captioning doesn't fit with the location of the exhibits, which can be confusing, although there are floor direction arrows to guide you along. The museum is all self guided, there are no audio guides either.
It's almost all on one level so suitable for those with wheelchairs.
Outside, there are some historic larger vessels, one of which you can enter the hold. Shades of Para Handy!
A walk of a couple of hundred metres takes you to the firth, where you have a good view over it, before you head to the excellent cafe.
Helpful staff abound.
There are also quite a number of intact smaller vessels.
Some of the captioning doesn't fit with the location of the exhibits, which can be confusing, although there are floor direction arrows to guide you along. The museum is all self guided, there are no audio guides either.
It's almost all on one level so suitable for those with wheelchairs.
Outside, there are some historic larger vessels, one of which you can enter the hold. Shades of Para Handy!
A walk of a couple of hundred metres takes you to the firth, where you have a good view over it, before you head to the excellent cafe.
Helpful staff abound.
Written 7 August 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.
Dan B
4 contributions
Aug 2021
Had this on our holiday list. Wife was not sure about it, but from the moment we arrived she was enthralled. Loads to see and learn about the local area and the maritime industry. Plenty of hands on activities for all ages and a clipboard activity just for the kids.
Museum shop and restaurant just up the road was excellent and good value for money.
Museum shop and restaurant just up the road was excellent and good value for money.
Written 16 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.
kkkaarreenn
Colchester, UK91 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
At the beginning of coronavirus we found ourselves in a tucked away part of Scotland. Before running back south we wanted to have one day of being tourists.
Lots of things were yet to open so we opted for what we thought was going to be a little collection featuring someone’s photo albums, some newspaper cuttings and maybe an oar.
So good to be so wrong.
This museum rivals Chatham dockyard in the south.
Great big shed, external buildings. Loads of ships, boats, education and a sprawl of a site across different aspects of the town/waterfront catching social history alongside maritime history.
Add in a guided tour by Circe who clearly loves what she does and oozes enthusiasm and you have an absolute doozy of a day out for mini money.
And they have a very good on site restaurant at affordable prices.
Thank you museum for giving us the only rest we had on that particular holiday.
Pure escapism.
Lots of things were yet to open so we opted for what we thought was going to be a little collection featuring someone’s photo albums, some newspaper cuttings and maybe an oar.
So good to be so wrong.
This museum rivals Chatham dockyard in the south.
Great big shed, external buildings. Loads of ships, boats, education and a sprawl of a site across different aspects of the town/waterfront catching social history alongside maritime history.
Add in a guided tour by Circe who clearly loves what she does and oozes enthusiasm and you have an absolute doozy of a day out for mini money.
And they have a very good on site restaurant at affordable prices.
Thank you museum for giving us the only rest we had on that particular holiday.
Pure escapism.
Written 7 May 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.
Mike
Glossop, UK1,420 contributions
Apr 2024 • Solo
Not a great experience. Seems to be somewhat run down from an evident peak in the 1990s. Whilst a lack of funding can be blamed there are things that are just due to lack of care like incorrect labelling of exhibits.
On the day I visited the cafe was out of use for a private function and replaced by a vending machine, the exhibits outside were forlorn and abandoned and exhibits inside marred by pointless and unused “attractions” for kids stuck in front.
There was an area inside that clearly used to have working machinery displays but now seems to be a bit pointless and unloved.
The site map shows a number of exhibits that are now permanently closed like the pontoon and boatyard, the wooden boat workshop and working engines building.
It’s a real shame as there are some interesting vessels here and it could be a Scottish Chatham or a Portsmouth. Come on Scottish government!
On the day I visited the cafe was out of use for a private function and replaced by a vending machine, the exhibits outside were forlorn and abandoned and exhibits inside marred by pointless and unused “attractions” for kids stuck in front.
There was an area inside that clearly used to have working machinery displays but now seems to be a bit pointless and unloved.
The site map shows a number of exhibits that are now permanently closed like the pontoon and boatyard, the wooden boat workshop and working engines building.
It’s a real shame as there are some interesting vessels here and it could be a Scottish Chatham or a Portsmouth. Come on Scottish government!
Written 11 April 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.
Paul M
143 contributions
May 2022 • Friends
Museum is great... plenty to keep visitors happy with things nautical BUT actually went for a one off food znd drink festival and to be frank that was a complete waste of time as there was nothing there... nothing in comparison to the Ballantrae event that is taking place in early June.
Written 8 May 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.
Isobel G
1 contribution
Sept 2020
A very interesting and informative day out, staff were exceptionally helpful.
We found the Museum by chance, it was the highlight of our holiday.
Also there is a lovely cafe/shop/restaurant on the harbourside, worth a visit.
Covid 19 restrictions apply.
We found the Museum by chance, it was the highlight of our holiday.
Also there is a lovely cafe/shop/restaurant on the harbourside, worth a visit.
Covid 19 restrictions apply.
Written 9 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.
Charlene
6 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
Highly recommended, very interesting if you like boats its a must see. However even if you know nothing about boats it is an experience which is highly knowledgeable.
The Puffers cafe is friendly, exceptionally clean, and has a wide range of food. The soup was tasty and filling. The fish and chips was delicious. The panini and fries was also very tasty and well presented.
The Puffers cafe is friendly, exceptionally clean, and has a wide range of food. The soup was tasty and filling. The fish and chips was delicious. The panini and fries was also very tasty and well presented.
Written 16 February 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.
Are dogs welcome within the museum?
Written 11 July 2016
I am not sure about pets, you would have to contact the site directly
Written 22 July 2016
Showing results 1-3 of 3
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing