Duff House
Baroque country house gallery in Banff designed by William Adam, showing paintings from the National Galleries of Scotland.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Duff House in Banff was designed by the architect William Adam as the main seat of William Duff, Lord Braco, who later became the first Earl Fife. Work began in 1735 on an ambitious baroque mansion, and the building was meant to be a very visible sign of its owner's success. Costs grew, client and architect fell out over money, and work stopped in 1741 with the interior unfinished. A bitter five-year court case found in Adam's favour, but he died before he was paid, and Lord Braco is said never to have spent a night in the house. His heirs completed it, and the grand curved wings shown in Adam's plans were never built.
The second and fourth Earls Fife filled the house with paintings, books and other treasures, but the contents were sold when the family gave up the house in 1906. It was given to the towns of Banff and Macduff in 1907 and then served in turn as a hotel, a sanatorium and a hotel again. In the Second World War it was used as an internment camp, a prisoner-of-war camp and a headquarters for allied regiments, including the Norwegian Brigade; a German air raid in 1940 killed six prisoners and two guards. Stencilled Polish signs and a painted Norwegian flag survive from the war years.
By the 1950s the house was in poor repair and passed into state care. After a major restoration it reopened in 1995 as a country house gallery, in partnership with the National Galleries of Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council. Works by artists such as El Greco, Gainsborough, Raeburn and Ramsay hang in rooms with restored eighteenth-century features. Historic Environment Scotland now runs the house, and the grounds include carriage drives, ornamental follies, an ice house and a mausoleum.
Highlights
- Baroque mansion by William Adam with elaborate carved stonework
- Paintings from the National Galleries of Scotland, including works by El Greco, Gainsborough and Raeburn
- A library of more than 4,000 books
- Second World War history as a prisoner-of-war camp and Norwegian Brigade headquarters
- Landscaped grounds with follies, ice house and mausoleum and a walk to the Bridge of Alvah
Permanent exhibitions
- Country house gallery – Paintings from the National Galleries of Scotland, including works by El Greco, Gainsborough, Raeburn and Ramsay, hung in historic rooms.
- War and peace – The house's later history as a hotel, a sanatorium and, during the Second World War, a prisoner-of-war camp and military headquarters.
- Founded
- 1995
- Operated by
- Historic Environment Scotland
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £10 |
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| Reduced | £8Concessions (online price) |
| Children & teens | £5Child ticket for ages 7 to 15, online price. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Visitors with disabilities pay the standard adult, concession or child price; proof of disability is not required. |
| Scottish Young Person ticket (Young Scot and National Entitlement Card holders aged 7 to 25) | £1 |
Online prices (best value) are £10 adult, £8 concession and £5 child; at the door they are £11, £9 and £5.50. Historic Environment Scotland members enter free, Explorer Pass holders have free entry with a pre-booked ticket, and members of English Heritage, Cadw and Manx national heritage partner organisations get free or discounted entry. Visitors who book online and arrive by train, bus or bike get 25% off with the code GOOD25. Up to two accompanying carers enter free per booking.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Accessible parking is at the back of the house, 20 m from the entrance over level paving. The main car park is gravel and about 100 m away. The entrance is on the ground floor, steps to the shop can be avoided through a side door, and a lift serves all upper levels. Two wheelchairs can be borrowed on a first-come, first-served basis. The gravel drive and the soft lawns around the house are easy to cross. Assistance dogs are allowed inside.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Family tickets are available. Children can take part in a fact-finding quiz, also available in Scots, and a drawing challenge, which they can ask for at the desk. Grounds with riverside walks are suitable for a family outing.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Low Street (bus routes 35 and X35) · 500 m
Bus routes 35 and X35 link Aberdeen and Elgin and stop on Low Street in Banff, 500 metres from the house. National Cycle Route 1 passes through Banff, and parking for up to six bikes is available at the house.
By car
Parking available · 100 m to the entrance
A car park on site has limited spaces for visitors; accessible spaces are at the back of the house.
- Accessible parking
Duff House is on the southern side of Banff beside the River Deveron.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
There is a shop on the lower level of the house.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Tickets are booked for a specific date and time. A fact-finding quiz (also available in Scots) and a drawing challenge are offered by the staff. |
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