Aberdeenshire Farming Museum

About the museum

The museum occupies the former home farm of the Aden estate at Mintlaw, a semi-circular steading built around 1800. The farm buildings surround a central courtyard that now also holds a café and a craft and gift shop, and the whole estate is today a country park of about 230 acres.

The main exhibition, called Weel Vrocht Grun ("well worked ground"), follows farming in the north-east of Scotland from the late eighteenth to the middle of the twentieth century. It covers the work of the farming year, from ploughing and sowing to the processing of grain. A second display, The Aden Estate Story, explains the history of the land, the people who lived on it and the buildings that house the museum. In the Horseman's House, visitors see how a horseman and his family lived on Aden Home Farm in the 1920s.

The collection holds Recognised Collection of National Significance status, awarded by Museums Galleries Scotland. A 1950s farm, Hareshowe Farm, is presented as part of the museum but is not open to the public at present. The Book of Deer visitor centre is also part of the museum and follows the same opening hours.

Highlights

• Weel Vrocht Grun exhibition on north-east Scottish farming
• The Horseman's House, showing farm family life in the 1920s
• The Aden Estate Story
• Book of Deer visitor centre
• Free entry in a historic home farm steading

Permanent exhibitions

• Weel Vrocht Grun – The main exhibition on farming in north-east Scotland from the late 18th to the mid 20th century, from ploughing and sowing to grain processing.
• The Aden Estate Story – The history of the Aden land, its people and the buildings that house the museum.
• The Horseman's House – A display of home and family life in the 1920s for the horseman of Aden Home Farm.

Operated by

Live Life Aberdeenshire

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free; donations are welcome.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

A ramp leads from the paved courtyard to the museum. The ground floors of the Farming Museum and Hareshowe Farm are accessible for visitors with restricted mobility and a wheelchair is available on request, but the upper floors are not accessible. The museum has a disabled toilet, and a Changing Places toilet with hoist, shower and bed stands by the main car park. Both main car parks have disabled bays.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

A free downloadable Aden Activity Pack helps families, schools and groups explore the park, including the story of farming in the north-east. The park has a children's play area with accessible equipment. Disabled toilets with baby changing are at the Coach House and by the main car park.

Getting there & parking

From the main Mintlaw roundabout, follow the road past Mintlaw Academy; the main park entrance is on the left. Satnav postcode AB42 5FQ may not lead to the main entrance. The park is about 9 miles from Peterhead and 29 miles from Aberdeen.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Aden Café is in the central courtyard next to the museum. A craft and gift shop in the courtyard was open every day except Thursday, 11am to 3pm, at the time of research.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit