Local Museums

The Burns House Museum

The Burns House Museum houses interactive and traditional exhibits and represents a truly authentic Burns experience.

Situated in the cobbled back streets of Mauchline where Robert Burns lived and worked between 1784 and 1788, years considered to be the most important and formative of his life. It was also Mauchline where he met and married his great love Jean Armour. On display here are a number of original manuscripts and objects from Burns’ life, including poems and letters, as well as an original Kilmarnock Edition. A number of Burns contemporaries including Holy Willie, Gavin Hamilton and Poosie Nansie are buried in Mauchline Kirkyard opposite the museum.

Robert Burns, born in Alloway and spending the majority of his short life in Ayrshire is one of Scotland’s most prolific historic figures, with his work still influencing life today.

Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am-4pm Closed Public Holidays

Dunaskin Open Air Museum

Early in the 21st Century, rural Ayrshire seems an unlikely place to have a significant place in industrial archaeology. However, at the beginning of the industrial revolution, the presence of coal, limestone and iron-ore lead to the production of pig-iron in the area. The Dunaskin Open Air Museum reveals some of the story.

The Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine

This is one of three sites where the museum is located. Scotland’s past is closely connected to the sea; the museum is concerned with this aspect of our heritage.