Dunollie Museum, Castle and Grounds

About the museum

Dunollie has been settled for around 8,000 years and was a stronghold of the kingdom of Dál Riata in the early medieval period. Most of the surviving castle ruin dates from the 15th century, with parts of the curtain wall added in the 16th. It was the seat of the MacDougalls, descendants of Somerled and Lords of Lorn, whose lands once covered much of Argyll and the islands. John MacDougall defeated Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Dalrigh in 1306.

By 1746 the family had moved down from the castle to a Georgian laird’s house, now called the 1745 House, and the castle fell into decay. The house today holds the museum, with a Victorian kitchen, a clan history room, a servants’ bedroom and a reading room. Much of the collection of around 5,000 items was gathered by the clan archivist Hope MacDougall (1913–1998). The best-known object is the Brooch of Lorn, said to have been taken from Robert the Bruce at Dalrigh.

The site is run by the MacDougall of Dunollie Preservation Trust, a charity. Visitors can also walk the grounds and climb the castle hill, and the MacDougall archive, kept in the museum building, can be used by arrangement.

Highlights

• Brooch of Lorn, said to have been taken from Robert the Bruce in 1306
• 1745 House Museum with a Victorian kitchen and clan history room
• Jacobite targe and broadsword from the 1715 rising
• Ruins of Dunollie Castle with views over Oban Bay
• Grounds with trails and the Kettle Garden Café

Permanent exhibitions

• 1745 House Museum – A mid-18th-century laird’s house with a Victorian kitchen, a clan history room with the Brooch of Lorn and Jacobite weapons, a servants’ bedroom and a reading room.
• Dunollie Castle and grounds – The ruined 15th-century castle on a rocky hill above Oban Bay, reached by a steep path, with woodland trails and gardens.

Operated by

MacDougall of Dunollie Preservation Trust

Admission & discounts

A day ticket works as a season pass: “Pay once, visit all season” allows repeat visits while the site is open. Tickets can be bought online or at the reception booth.

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

Routes from the car park to reception, the café and the museum are step-free, as are most of the grounds. The first floor of the 1745 House Museum can be reached, through a door 83 cm wide; the second floor is reached by stairs only. The path up to the castle is steep and can be slippery and is not suitable for wheelchairs; a handrail has been added and walking sticks can be borrowed. Accessible toilets are on the ground floor of the museum. The parking spaces nearest the site are kept for visitors who need them most. Dogs on leads are welcome outdoors but not in the 1745 House Museum, the shop or the Loom Room.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

Children can follow the Dunollie Explorers Trail and a Mythical Creatures QR trail in the grounds, and the Faerie Garden and Willow Hall are places to explore. Family events run through the season, especially at Easter, Halloween and Christmas. Pushchairs are welcome around the grounds, museum and café, but the castle path is too steep and a safe buggy parking spot is near the museum. Primary schools can book hands-on workshops on topics such as castles, Jacobites and Vikings.

Getting there & parking

The site is off the A85, less than 1.5 miles north of Oban and about a 5-minute drive from the town centre. Oban is on National Cycle Route 78; there is no bike rack, but bikes can be left near reception. What3words: ///land.snapping.everybody

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Kettle Garden Café serves home baking, light lunches and soup, with outdoor seating; last orders are at 15:45. The Draper’s Shop sells goods and fabrics inspired by Dunollie’s history. Women’s toilets with baby changing and an accessible toilet are inside the museum.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 100 guests.

Weddings and private events take place outside normal visiting hours. The site suits intimate events of up to 40 guests; up to 100 guests are possible with a marquee in the meadow that the hirer arranges. Options include the castle ruins and the Willow Garden.

Plan your visit