Robert Burns Ellisland Museum and Farm

Robert Burns Ellisland Museum and Farm Fall in love with Robert Burns at the 18th-century farm he built for his family—visit the museum and stay nearby in the charming Auld Acquaintance Cottage

View our collection of Burns artefacts and experience the landscape that inspired Scotland's National Bard

We are at Guid Nychburris today! Celebrating Dumfries and talking about our campaign - thanks to James our youth volunte...
20/06/2026

We are at Guid Nychburris today! Celebrating Dumfries and talking about our campaign - thanks to James our youth volunteer for manning the stall. Come and say hello - we have sweeties!

Claire Mann is the only flautist permitted to care for and play the recently restored Burns Family Flute, which belongs ...
19/06/2026

Claire Mann is the only flautist permitted to care for and play the recently restored Burns Family Flute, which belongs to Ellisland’s special museum collection.

On Tuesday, you are invited to join Claire and curator Adam Dickson for the first of a short series of Curator Led Tours of Ellisland’s farmhouse. Hear how Claire cares for the historic flute, learn about its unique features and listen as she plays to conserve the rare instrument’s condition.

The tours will also offer visitors close access to heritage research and ‘behind the scenes’ features rarely seen by the public, including the recently revealed discovery of Burns’s mantelpiece.

Visit our website or follow the link below to book your place now.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1991181711099?aff=oddtdtcreator

We were delighted to have Heritage Forester Andrew Brown’s recent discovery of a stand of beech trees planted by Burns a...
18/06/2026

We were delighted to have Heritage Forester Andrew Brown’s recent discovery of a stand of beech trees planted by Burns at Ellisland Farm featured in the Dumfries and Galloway Standard

Now, you can be among the first to see and appreciate the newly discovered Burns trees this coming Wednesday 24th June. Join Andrew Brown, the woodland expert who made the discovery, to visit the site, learn about the research process and gain insight into how Andrew’s knowledge of trees, soil and land allowed him to uncover this incredible find.

On this exciting guided walk, you will step off the beaten path and trace Ellisland’s history back through centuries, uncovering the changes Burns made as an improving farmer. Along the way, Andrew’s expertise will highlight historical evidence as found in Ellisland’s natural environment.

Just a few spots remain for this small group experience - don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to discover a new kind of living Burns history🌳

Ellisland Through the Trees: A Woodland Walk in Time
🗓️Wednesday 24th June
🕣6pm
📍Ellisland Museum & Farm

🎟️Booking required. Tickets by donation.

Book now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1988615965886?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please note that the terrain will be uneven and the walk will be strenuous at points. Appropriate footwear and clothing are required.

🌟Start the summer holidays off with a bang and jump back in time with the kids to the Jacobite era at Ellisland 🌟For a j...
17/06/2026

🌟Start the summer holidays off with a bang and jump back in time with the kids to the Jacobite era at Ellisland 🌟

For a jam-packed, fun-filled day for all of the family to enjoy, come along to Ellisland Museum and Farm for Ye Jacobites Family Fun Day on Saturday 4th July where you can:

🧥Dress up in Jacobite clothes

⚔️Take part in a weapons demonstration and play with model weaponry

🛡️Craft your own Jacobite Targe (shield)

🗡️Meet a Jacobite enactor and learn about Culloden

📸 Take a snap with our Jacobite backdrop

🎶 Hear and watch the bagpipes being played

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Watch a kilt wrapping demonstration

👣Search for Jacobites on Ellisland’s Jacobite Scavenger Hunt

Activities run all day from 11-2pm. Register online today to guarantee your spot (ticket link in comments)👇

🎟️Tickets are £2 per child, or FREE with an entry ticket to Ellisland Museum & Farm!

Ellisland Museum & Farm is just over an hour from Glasgow or Edinburgh so why not make a day of it and bring a picnic to enjoy in Ellisland’s grounds, explore the museum and have a whole lot of family fun! ☀️

At this time of year, we are constantly reminded of the inspiration Burns found in nature… can you guess which of the ba...
16/06/2026

At this time of year, we are constantly reminded of the inspiration Burns found in nature… can you guess which of the bard’s poetic works we’ve been reciting as certain flowers have bloomed around Ellisland? 🌹

Join Neil Baxter and Mary Craig at Ellisland Museum & Farm tomorrow to take a deeper dive into Burns’s intriguing relationship to nature as poet, farmer and man.

Of Mice and Mountain Daisies: Burns and Nature Workshop
🗓️Wednesday 17th June
🕣2 - 4pm
🎟️Tickets by donation, book online or pay on arrival

Workshop tickets include entry to Ellisland Museum & Farm so why not take a wander amongst Ellisland’s beautiful surrounds beforehand and experience nature as Burns did for yourself!

Ticket link in the comments 👇

Rabbie has a smile on his face today!
14/06/2026

Rabbie has a smile on his face today!

Rabbie and the whole team at Ellisland are right behind Scotland in Boston today. Scotland, No Party!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (And we kn...
13/06/2026

Rabbie and the whole team at Ellisland are right behind Scotland in Boston today.
Scotland, No Party!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (And we know Burns loved a party!)

11/06/2026

It was on this day, 11th June, in 1788, that Burns began to farm at Ellisland. In these early days, Burns wrote to his good friend Robert Ainslie that “My farm gives me a good many uncouth cares and anxieties”.

Determined to see Ellisland succeed, over the next three years Burns set out making agricultural improvements to his land, including, as researchers have recently discovered, planting a stand of Beech trees when he altered a watercourse over two centuries ago.

Later this month, you can join heritage forester, Andrew Brown, at Ellisland on Wednesday 24th June for a guided woodland walk to learn more about his recent discovery. As you walk in the footsteps of Burns, you will uncover many more fascinating insights into changes to Ellisland’s farm and woodlands as told by the maps, grounds, waterways and trees 🌳

Ellisland through the Trees: A Woodland Walk in Time
🗓️Wednesday 24th June
🕣6pm
🎟️Tickets by donation (booking essential)

Spaces are limited so please book ahead to avoid disappointment.

Visit the ticket link in the comments to secure your spot today 👇🌱

When asked to think of a Burns poem, many folk begin to fondly quote the opening lines of ‘To a Mouse’. Indeed, animals,...
10/06/2026

When asked to think of a Burns poem, many folk begin to fondly quote the opening lines of ‘To a Mouse’. Indeed, animals, wildlife and nature commonly appear in some of the bard’s most recognised poems.

So what inspired Burns to write these works and what does this tell us about his life, beliefs and attitudes?

Join Neil and Mary for Of Mice and Mountain Daisies: Burns and Nature Workshop on Wednesday 17th June, 2 - 4pm to dive into Burns’s deep connection to nature and the environment through his life and poetry, all while soaking up Ellisland’s idyllic setting that so often inspired Rabbie to pick up his quill.

🗓️Wednesday 17th June
🕣 2 - 4pm
📍Ellisland Museum & Farm
🎟️Tickets by donation, booking required (link in comments)

Neil Baxter is the winner of the Grand Antiquity Society of Glasgow, Sir Robert Smith Award (2026). He has taught at Glasgow School of Art and the University of Glasgow. Baxter has written for many newspapers and journals including the Herald and the Times. He initiated and curated Scotland’s Year of Architecture in 2016. A prolific author he has written and/or edited over twenty books.

Mary Craig is a writer and historian living and working in Scotland. A former Carnegie scholar and graduate of the University of Glasgow Mary is the author of multiple books, newspapers and articles which explore various aspect of the history of Northern Europe. Mary is a member of the Scottish PEN, Europeana and Dove Tales Scotland. She co- hosts podcast Borders Bletherings.

Tickets are limited and selling quickly so get yours while you can 👇

Address

Holywood Road
Auldgirth
DG20RP

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+441387740426

Website

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