Discovery Point
Discovery Point
4.5
Speciality MuseumsShipsHistory Museums
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
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
MADE IN DUNDEE | DESIGNED FOR ADVENTURE Discovery Point is home to the world famous Antarctic research vessel RRS Discovery. This award-winning visitor attraction tells the story of the Discovery, from her beginnings in Dundee in to her amazing Antarctic expedition and her voyages thereafter. Follow in the footsteps of Captain Scott and his heroic team at Discovery Point! Find out about the Heroes of the Ice who braved the harsh conditions of the Antarctic and hear their stories first hand. As you explore the self-led museum at your own pace you will: Enter the shipyard and find out how and why Discovery was built Learn about the first voyage of Discovery to the most inhospitable place on the earth Walk in the footsteps of Heroes and climb aboard one of the most incredible ships ever built Find out about ‘Scott of the Antarctic’ and explore the crews quarters and the Officers Wardroom Discover more about the ships voyages and journeys after The Discovery Expedition. Don't forget to visit the gift shop for unique Discovery themed items or your very own cuddly toy Emma Penguin. There is also a cafe on site with something for all tastes.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • 797dennisp
    Montrose, United Kingdom30,370 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A most fascinating ship !!
    This trip to see the Discovery should best be done on a beautiful summer's day but my visit in September was close to perfect could be. The Royal Research Ship Discovery was one of the last wooden three-masted, barque rigged sailing ships to be built in Britain. As a major whaling centre Dundee’s shipyards had long experience of constructing ships robust enough to travel through the Arctic pack ice. Over 100 years after this ship was built it is now back home resting in Dundee.
    Visited September 2022
    Written March 30, 2023
  • Josepha M
    158 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    See the ship that took Scott and Shackleton to the Antarctic
    I have always been fascinated by the stories of the exploration in the Antarctic so was very excited to see the ship, Discovery, which took Scott and Shackleton there in 1901. The ship was inspiring especially seeing the dining saloon and the cabins. However the ship is in poor condition and needs money spent on it. Would be a worthy National Lottery project. There are extensive exhibitions about the construction of the ship and the lives of the men on the ship.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 11, 2023
  • thegreenkiwis
    Sheffield, United Kingdom101 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must-do in Dundee - fantastic exhibition, ship and unexpected extra finale!
    An absolute must-do in Dundee (even though it hadn't been on the list before we went)! Fabulous location next to the V&A. The exhibitions are really well done and, along with several short films, provide a great insight into the Discovery’s Antarctic journey. I knew various bits of Scott and Shackleton’s adventures but it pulled them altogether for me. Being able to walk around the ship was a huge thrill – it would have been anyway but was all the more so for having understand its history and adventures. I loved the Officers’ Wardroom and cabins, and being on deck admiring the masts and rigging. There was an unexpected finale, needing to be time-slot booked (free) but definitely not to be missed. On the top floor, the Discovery Dome was opened last year and now houses a permanent Gaia (the World installation by Luke Gerram), which I’d been planning to try to see on its tour around the country sometime! There’s a 7-minute soundtrack for it, followed by a film about the development of Dundee, before the blinds are lifted for a spectacular 360 degree view of the city and river. Would 100% recommend a visit!
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 15, 2023
  • 10lenny1972
    Scotland, United Kingdom34 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must for any traveller, history buff or curious mind. Very Impressive piece of History.
    So much information and detail on offer. Take in as much information and detail as you can absorb but it’s all there. It’s amazing to think Dundee played such an important role in the age of exploration. I’ve watched so many documentaries about the Discovery expedition and was amazed by what I still learned. Impressive to walk where Capt Scott lived and breathed. A must for any traveller, history buff or curious mind. Oh! and the staff are lovely. They obviously love working there. Great!
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written May 2, 2023
  • Bill McD
    Coatbridge, United Kingdom67 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting, Informative, Inspirational
    Great place to visit. Very well laid out, interesting and informative exhibits. The new dome exhibit is very well done. Access to the ship was a highlight and really helped give context to the other exhibits.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 23, 2023
  • ShirleyValentine2014
    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Group visit of older ladies to Discovery Point
    Excellent visit to Discovery Point with a group of 30 ladies. We were made so welcome, had coffee and pastries before visiting the museum and RRS Discovery. Matt, our guide was enthusiastic and informative, and the exhibition is so comprehensive. Lovely lunch in a delightful room overlooking the ship, and a beautiful sunny day to make it perfect.
    Visited June 2023
    Written June 30, 2023
  • Hope R
    Dundee, United Kingdom3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful
    Always a great experience we love this museum! Your tickets gives you an annual pass so you can come back as often as you want - something we like to do as we live in the city. Always spot something new and walking around the RRS Discovery is a real treat.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written July 25, 2023
  • Ancientmariner01
    Portsmouth, United Kingdom173 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fascinating slice of polar exploration
    I already knew a lot about Captain Scott and his polar expeditions, and was very interested to see how the museum would be set up, and how the historic RRS Discovery had been preserved and refitted. Not disappointed. It was brilliant. Far from cheap, but the tickets last a year, so we gave ours to our local hosts, in case they happen to invite more guests with the same names. And you get a lot: a fascinating and well thought-out museum, and of course, the main attraction. The ship. And there are penguins. The ship was fascinating, and there had clearly been much work to get her up to scratch. That said, it would be even better with a few more displays and better signage, and perhaps a millionaire donor to fund a bit more ship husbandry. As an ancient mariner myself, I have to say that I’m not sure that the ship would have passed Captain’s Rounds… And whoever gave planning permission for the monstrous V&A next door clearly didn’t care that it dwarfs the ship and is wholly out of character. But there you are - we are where we are, and the Discovery is certainly interesting enough to weather those storms. If you have time to see just one attraction in Dundee, it should be this. Unless you don’t like ships, penguins or polar exploration, in which case you should get a life.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written July 31, 2023
  • Darren B
    Bristol, United Kingdom47 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great visit with an awesome place to grab some lunch which was a nice surprise
    What a wonderful place! Parking next door and amazing views. We were enthralled with the interactive learning centre, playing a short film that opens your eyes to the heroic explorers of our time. So many interesting items to see and the vessel itself was spectacular and a warren of finds below deck. Also need to point out the café which served amazing food with a warm welcome and such a yummy lovely surprise.
    Thank you for your 5 star review, we are glad to hear you enjoyed yourself so much. Hope to welcome you back soon!
    Written August 21, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 6, 2023
  • Jennifer T
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Weddings on the Discovery
    My husband and I were married on the Discovery on 10 June, with reception held in the Discovery point. I cannot praise the team highly enough. It was such a great venue, food was perfect and everyone working on the team made everything effortless and run like clockwork. It was just a perfect day and such an iconic setting
    Thank you so much for your 5 star review. We are glad you enjoyed your special day so much and hope to welcome you back soon!
    Written August 21, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Written August 7, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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 wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,324 reviews
Excellent
1,685
Very good
545
Average
77
Poor
14
Terrible
3

Tillycairn
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Family
We payed £48 for the family ticket to see both Discovery and the Verdant works. Even at the reduced rate to take both it seems overpriced for an activity that realistically lasts a couple of hours at best. No tour guides, no people led interactive experiences for children, just a 10 minute film aimed at adults.

It’s not a bad thing to see overall, and the kids were not completely bored but if it had been half the price I would have felt a lot better about the experience.

Compare this to the national museum in Edinburgh which is free of charge and you can spend days there and still not see everything. Lots of interactive things for kids and adults as well. As a very patriotic Scot, I feel it’s important to attract people further north out of the central belt to the likes of Dundee and Aberdeen. At these crazy prices though you are fighting a loosing battle. Glasgow and Edinburgh have more to offer at sensible prices all families can afford.
Written October 18, 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.
Thank you for taking the time to review your recent experience to both Discovery Point and Verdant Works through your joint ticket and I am sorry to see you felt it expensive for what we offer. Discovery Point and Verdant Works are operated by Dundee Heritage Trust, a not for profit, independent charity which self generates over 98% of its annual running costs through various activities including ticket sales. This income is used to support the conservation and preservation of the world famous 119 year old polar ship RRS Discovery and her associated collections held within the museum as well as the 187 year old Verdant Works and the textiles collections of national significance . Ticket sales help us to ensure the that such incredible Scottish history is not lost now or for future generations. Your admission costs really do make a difference for us - particularly in a year that has seen us closed completely during what is our busiest months. Your ticket directly contributes to our very survival at this unprecedented time so thank you! Your ticket automatically entitles you to a free annual pass which allows as many return visits as you wish within a 12 month period at no extra cost. We regularly check the admission costs of other pay to enter museums and tourist attractions across Scotland and further afield and carefully balance this with the needs of the trust to support the collections. Your joint ticket at £48 for a family of four allows you all to visit two museums for unlimited visits for 12 months. This would also allow you access to large temporary touring exhibits at no extra cost; recent examples include the full Great Scottish Tapestry and Brick City - a Lego exhibition featuring famous buildings from around the world recreated in Lego. There are also a number of family fun days and special events that take place over the course of a year and again your ticket would allow you access to these. Your comparison of the National Museum of Scotland, which is indeed free thanks to being 100% government funded, and us is slightly unfair due to being very different museums in terms of purpose, funding, mission, collections and building size. In more "normal" times we do have volunteer guides available to provide further information to all visitors but for a number of reasons we are unable to provide this service at our museums at present due to the COVID pandemic. I hope you will understand that we have not made this decision lightly and as soon as we are able to we will of course be reintroducing guides to our sites. While the current exclusion of guides does indeed mean we do not have people led interactive elements we do have a number of free activity sheets available for all visitors as well as well over 30 interactives over the two museums along with audio visual elements (for example at Discovery Point there are three short films totalling more than 20 minutes combined). I do hope you will take advantage of your free annual pass and come visit us again soon, hopefully we will have our guides and machinery operators back on site very soon too.
Written October 19, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

auldreekie87
Clackmannanshire, UK475 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020 • Solo
Visited this week on a blustery morning - second person in at 10am - no need to book in advance, and a super price for an over 60. And as many return visits as I want in the coming 12 months.

I was blown away by how informative and interesting both the visitor information is, and then to view the ship itself was awesome. Interactive displays, short films, this place has it all. I’ll admit I was ignorant of the total ‘step into the unknown’ these intrepid men and animals undertook, and the door they opened to future explorers - space included. Excellent links to local industry too.
Written September 26, 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.

Cath S
Wigan, UK52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
With rain and wind promised we booked to go. Spent about 2 hours here, really interactive experience, my 12 year old loved it and was occupied with the story of Scott and the Antarctica trip. Great to gain insight into the crew and the boat and their roles.

Social distancing throughout, one way system keeps everyone moving and lots of hand sanitizer available throughout. Staff extremely friendly.

My only tip would be if your planning a joint visit with verdant works in the same day, you need to check verdant is open, as we had planned to do both but couldn’t as verdant only open fri-sun.

Enjoyable day out!
Written August 25, 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.

victoria B
Lincolnshire, UK577 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
There is a large visitors' centre complete with an exhibition about Captain Scott, a very well stocked shop and toilets. There is also a cafe where I had a freshly baked, huge pretzel with a cappuccino.

Tickets are sold in a shed adjacent to the visitors' centre and both are close to the RRS Discovery.

The brasses are gleaming and visitors can wander throughout the ship. Access is possible into the depths of the engine room and there is even a child friendly area on board. Rooms are laid out how they would have been when Captain Scott was around, and everything is spotless and beautifully displayed.
Written November 9, 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.

lizandianp
surrey955 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
We had both seen Discovery before but were completely astounded by the detail of the exhibits in the visitor centre.
We easily used up our 2 hours parking having been able to allocate only 25 mins to the ship itself.

We messed up timing, we also wanted to se HMS Unicorn which we missed as it closed at 3.30pm. We should have gone there first.
We were also unaware that the pile of scaffolding planks next to the Discovery is the V & A which stays open tio 6.30

We could have done all tthree.
Written September 8, 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.

Sela-48
Helensburgh, UK163 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
This is a large exhibition and worth every penny of the admission cost. It is well laid out and it was exciting to wander through the different rooms and learn the great history of this ship. The exhibits are amazing and so informative and the best part is being able to go onboard the actual ship and see how the officers and crew lived .
It was so much better than the V&A.
Written May 23, 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.

MoirConway
Ardrossan, UK34 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
Fantastic to your the ship that took Captain Scott to the south pole.
Throughout the ship all of the important areas are clearly and informatively labelled.
Although not accessible to those with reduced mobility or in a wheelchair the
re is outside and at ground level a video tour of the entire vessel.
Due to Covid 19 the interior exhibition and cafe are currently closed, but, given that the entry ticket includes as many return visits as you want, what better excuse could you want for a return visit.
And of course it's right next to V&A Dundee.
Written August 2, 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.
Thank you so much for taking the time to review your recent visit. I am very happy to say the full museum is now open - as well as our cafe! I hope we will see you again soon, using your free annual pass to explore even more!
Written September 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jean M
Glasgow, UK8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Visited this venue 5 years ago and were not disappointed with our return today. Such a superbly organised space with knowledgeable and friendly staff (and a lovely cafe). There’s so much to take in one visit doesn’t actually suffice. We bought a joint ticket with the Verdant jute museum in advance and saved a lot of money (you can return within a year to these venues for free if you keep your card). Naturally seeing round the Discovery ship was a highlight and quite awe-inspiring. I’d recommend anyone to go to Discovery Point - you’ll never think about snow the same way again!
Written October 6, 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.
Thank you so much for your 5-star review! We are glad that you enjoyed it and will pass your lovely words onto our staff.
Written October 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ann L
3 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
I have been wanting to visit for the last few years and finally made it last weekend. The information on board the ship is rather poor, many doors are closed and several areas where cordoned off. Only 1 member of staff was visible and seemed more occupied with cleaning than answering any questions. The ship itself seems in rather poor condition, I spotted several buckets/containers catching water dripping from the roof/floor. There are several areas of very rotten timbers that are "under investigation" and awaiting restoration. However the exhibition building is very modern and even features its own cinema area - information is good and interesting, I would definitely recommend visiting this first before going onto the ship.
I came away with the feeling that the information centre has become more important than the ship itself - the money that has been spent on the centre could have been spent on the ship keeping it better maintained. A modern building is easily replaced the Discovery is not....
Written October 21, 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.
Thank you for taking the time to review your recent visit to Discovery Point and RRS Discovery and I am happy to take the opportunity to discuss the work we are currently undertaking to preserve the RRS Discovery for generations to come and assure you that nothing is more important to us than our wonderful ship. As a 98.7% self-funded independent charity, we are unable to have a large dedicated crew for more complex and large scale projects. The work you refer to in the stern section that is currently under investigation for repair and conservation is one such project. I am happy to say that thanks to a very recent support grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund we are now able to progress with this works. You may have heard about this in the national press or on our social media within the last few days. Our small number of ships crew and volunteers carry out a regular maintenance and cleaning schedule along with other duties and this is what you observed from the staff member you refer to. Our crew are more than happy to answer questions when asked but can, understandably, get very engrossed in their work. The visit is designed in a way that the museum provides the background information while the ship is left in many ways as untouched as possible to allow for a full view of the hull and her amazing build. Due to the temporary layout, as a result of ongoing construction work, it may not be as clear that this is the case and I will work with our Front of House teams to ensure that message is passed on clearly to all visitors. While we are progressing with work at present to improve and update the museum experience I want to assure you that the RRS Discovery is the most important aspect to us and their is already more fundraising taking place for further works to the hull. Please feel free to check our website for more information and how to support further if you would wish. Lastly I am pleased you found the exhibitions to be "very modern" as the majority of the galleries and exhibit spaces, including the cinema area, are now 28 years old. The work we are carrying out is to expand on the story of Discovery and provide more space for objects linked to the amazing ship that remains at the heart of what we do. I do hope you will return, taking advantage of your free annual pass included with your admission, and feel free to ask a member of staff for more information on our future conservation works and plans.
Written October 22, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Paul D
Kendal, UK3 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
Good layout with lots of displays and artefacts. Good audio visual presentations with lots of period photographs. Plenty of detail available if you took your time in the displays if you took your time or you could skim if your kids were getting fractious. The boat itself was excellent and gave you a good idea of living and working conditions.
Written September 11, 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.

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