What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 9am - 5pm

Discovery Point and RRS Discovery

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Discovery Point and RRS Discovery

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Home to Captain Scott's ship, RRS Discovery
5-star museum
Discovery Dome Experience
Pay today + go free all year! Enter DD1 4XA postcode in your sat nav.
(491)

Last admission is 1 hour before closing, however we recommend at least 1.5 - 2 hours for your visit. Transport directions and car parking

By road:
Discovery Point is on Riverside Drive, just off the northbound slip-road of the Tay Road Bridge. All other entry routes should follow signs for ‘city centre’ but Discovery Point is clearly signposted throughout the
city. By rail:
Dundee is on the main East Coast line and railway station is directly opposite Discovery Point. By bus:
Most buses from Fife stop at Greenmarket which is just at the side of the railway station so only two minutes’ walk to Discovery Point. If you are coming from Forfar, Discovery Point is a short walk from the
High Street. All buses from Perth, Blairgowrie and Coupar Angus stop at Debenhams, outside the Overgate shopping centre. Discovery Point is just minutes away from any city centre bus stop. Car Parking:
There is short-term pay and display parking adjacent to Discovery Point. For other parking you can use the Greenmarket multi-storey car park (sat nav DD1 4QB) or either the Gellatly street car park (sat nav DD13RB) or the Olympia car park (sat nav DD1 3JU).

10/10/2026

✏ It's the school holidays! We've got adventures lined up for explorers of all ages this October.

Discover a world of wonder at Discovery Point & RRS Discovery, with all of this included in your ticket:

⚓ Explore above and below deck on Captain Scott's ship Discovery
🐧 Lanyard activities for children throughout Discovery Point galleries
🎃 Follow the Halloween trail for spooktacular fun
🖼 Wander through 10+ interactive galleries in Discovery Point
🌎 Voyage to 1901 Dundee in the immersive Discovery Dome
✂ Get crafty in Polarama, with puzzles, colouring & crafts for little ones

🎟 Visit for FREE for a whole year when you buy our Flexible Family Pass. Get the best price when you book online in advance; unlock 12 months of adventure, inspiration, and exploration aboard RRS Discovery.

Plan your visit and book tickets at our website.

📷 (c) Grant Anderson Photography Dundee - One City, Many Discoveries VisitDundee

07/10/2026

Viewing this natural, unposed photograph of Harry Pennell writing letters on the deck of the Terra Nova during Captain Scott’s ill-fated Antarctic expedition of 1910, you almost feel you are there yourself, in the scene with the young naval commander.

His companion at the time of the photograph? Most likely Edward Atkinson, the bacteriologist and surgeon on the Terra Nova Expedition, and possible compiler of the scrapbook that this photograph was found in.

When the deeper story of Atkinson & Pennell’s relationship is revealed, this candid, personal portrait gains greater poignancy.

Discover the moving story of these “Antarctic lovebirds” in 'Penelope & Jane: A Polar Love Story' this Sunday, showing at Dundee Contemporary Arts, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director 🎬

And, enjoy 20% discount* on entry to Discovery Point & RRS Discovery when you show your ticket to Penelope & Jane – giving you the chance to go below deck on Discovery to uncover the secrets of life in the Antarctic.

🍿 Book tickets and learn more about the offer here via Dundee Contemporary Arts. *T&Cs apply

📷 (c) Dundee Heritage Trust / DUNIH 325

06/10/2026

⏱ Last chance to take to the mast in 2026!

This Saturday is your final chance to take on the Discovery Mast Climb this year, ascending over 80 feet high in the footsteps of Polar legends aboard RRS Discovery.

🎟 Limited tickets are available at our website: https://www.dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/booking-discovery-mast-climb/

Keep an eye out for 2027 Discovery Mast Climb dates coming soon...

📅 Sat. 10 October
🎫 Pre-booking essential
🧗‍♂️ Participants aged 12+
🎥 Footage by Rich Parker

04/10/2026

🎥 From letters and diaries, a truly moving story from the Antarctic comes to the big screen.

Showing next Sunday at Dundee Contemporary Arts cinema, "Penelope & Jane: A Polar Love Story" revisits Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition through the diary of officer Harry Pennell, revealing intimate declarations of love and friendship with fellow officer Edward Atkinson.

Directed by Bafta-winner Ashley Francis-Roy, the film blends archive, interviews and scripted drama to explore a relationship that challenges our assumptions about masculinity, sexuality and affection in the early 20th century.

🎟 If you're heading to Dundee to see this excellent documentary, enjoy 20% off entry to Discovery Point & RRS Discovery when you show your cinema ticket at our front desk, on Sunday 11 October!*

Find out more about the special offer, and book tickets to see the screening and Q&A at the DCA via our website: https://dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/dca-offer/

*T&Cs apply. See full T&Cs at Dundee Heritage Trust website. Image: (c) Channel 4 / Ashley Francis-Roy.

03/10/2026

⚓ Happy ! This year’s theme is the ... and of course we’ve chosen D for Discovery, and Dundee!

The Royal Research Ship Discovery was built here in Dundee and launched 125 years ago for Captain Scott’s first voyage to the Antarctic; with fellow Polar legends Ernest Shackleton, Edward Wilson, and Tom Crean on board. The rest, as they say, is history.

The shipyards of Dundee were chosen for the construction for this specially-designed vessel because of the city’s unmatched expertise in building wooden whaling ships, ready to battle unforgiving ice day in, day out ⚒️

As well as building the ship, Dundee’s industry was responsible for the manufacture of Discovery’s engine, its sails, and more. Thus, even when locked in frozen Antarctic plains so very far from home, Discovery was – and still is – rooted in Dundee.

After pioneering voyages around the world, the RRS Discovery returned home 40 years ago, to excitement that likely paralleled that of the ship’s launch back in 1901. Now, thousands of visitors of all ages from around the globe board the ship every year to explore life below deck, walking in the footsteps of not only Polar legends, but those of the experts in the city’s shipyards who worked tirelessly to build Discovery in less than 12 months.

And as JPS Restoration & Consultancy Ltd conserve RRS Discovery, it becomes increasingly filled with nods to its home city – jute used in caulking is processed at Verdant Works Museum, and timbers salvaged from an 1800s mill are being used in repairs.

📷 We’re sharing these photographs of the ship under construction and in testing, as a reminder of the people of Discovery and of Dundee’s shipyards; how proud they would surely be, to know that their beloved ship and its stories continue to inspire people every single day.

Scottish Museums Federation Drone photography: (c) Paul Vinova

01/10/2026

Our new vinyl building decoration brings a pop of blue and a friendly whale to guide you on your way to Discovery Point! 🐋

With many thanks to Barry at Robertsign for the application of the vinyl, and to Elaine, who - alongside being our Front of House Manager - is the talented artist behind the whale illustration.

30/09/2026

It's Dundee Climate Week! 🌍

Did you know that RRS Discovery was the first ship purpose-built for research and scientific exploration?

During the 1901 British National Antarctic Expedition, Captain Scott's polar officers and scientists carried out climate science that is still used as a benchmark today - including mapping, gathering of geological specimens, the discovery of an Emperor penguin rookery, and even unearthing 500 new species!

In the 1920s, RRS Discovery's climate science continued, and the first waves in the vital conservation and study of the world's depleting whale populations were made; once again, information that is used as a benchmark by scientists (often aboard RRS Discovery's great grand-daughter ship!) today 🐋

Today, we're proud to continue to follow in RRS Discovery's climate legacy; with a Silver award from Green Tourism. You can find out about our sustainability strategy at our website.

Dundee Climate Week 2026 takes place from 28th September to 4th October, bringing together communities, organisations and residents to celebrate climate action and explore how we can create a healthier, greener and more resilient Dundee.

💚🌱 Find out more about Dundee Climate Week and about how you can make a difference via Sustainable Dundee.

29/09/2026

There was a very special flag visible on RRS Discovery last weekend, as Louise and Kevin from Lost In Waters Deep visited us and carried the legendary The Explorers Club's Flag #35 up the ship's mast, whilst taking on the Discovery Mast Climb!

Kevin was awarded Flag #35 by The Explorers Club, to be carried with him on Lost In Waters Deep's ongoing search for the wreck of the SS Active; a ship whose story is intrinsically connected to Dundee and whose bell you might have spotted on display here at Discovery Point.

From all of us aboard RRS Discovery, best of luck to the Lost In Waters Deep team in the search for SS Active!

25/09/2026

📚 On Captain Scott's desk today (hot off the press) is Towards the Coldest Place by Michael Smith!

We're delighted to be welcoming Michael for the official launch of this wonderful book at Discovery Point tomorrow, Saturday 26 September. Hear stories from 2,000 years of exploration of the frozen South, and meet a myriad of characters who have taken to the ice in pursuit of being the first to the South Pole.

Or, if you can't join us for the book launch and talk tomorrow, you can purchase the book in our gift shop 🛍

📅 Saturday 26 September
⏰ 6pm
🎟 Buy tickets to the book launch online: https://dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/booking-michael-smith-book-launch/
🛒 Discovery Point gift shop is open during museum opening hours, and you can shop here whether you've visited the museum or not!

24/09/2026

📚 We're counting down to the launch of Michael Smith's excellent new book, Towards the Coldest Place, taking place at Discovery Point & RRS Discovery this weekend!

With the RRS Discovery's key role in the exploration of the frozen South, it is truly special to be launching the book here in Dundee, and to be hosting Michael for an insightful talk, during which he will share his findings when researching for the book - tracing 2,000 years of exploration in the Antarctic.

Thank you to everyone who has booked their ticket; we look forward to welcoming you. If you are yet to book, you can do so at our website, or at the front desk at Discovery Point: https://dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/booking-michael-smith-book-launch/

📅 Sat 26 September
⏰ 6pm
🎟 £15pp
🎫 Book online here: https://dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/booking-michael-smith-book-launch/

The History Press

Address

Discovery Quay, Riverside Drive
Dundee
DD14XA

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/attraction/discovery-point

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