Provost Skene's House

About the museum

Provost Skene's House dates from 1545 and is Aberdeen's oldest surviving townhouse. It takes its name from Sir George Skene (1619 to 1708), a wealthy merchant who bought the house in 1669 and served as provost of Aberdeen from 1676 to 1685. The house was altered in the mid-eighteenth century, but its medieval envelope and interior largely survive. A Renaissance painted ceiling in an attic gallery was commissioned by a member of the Lumsden family and is the only part of the earlier displays that was kept.

In the twentieth century the house was used as a lodging house for homeless people, and when neighbouring buildings were demolished in the 1930s it was saved and refurbished. It opened to the public in 1953 as a period house and museum of local history, with rooms furnished in the styles of the seventeenth to early nineteenth centuries.

After a renovation project it reopened in 2021 with a new focus. Ten themed, interactive displays celebrate more than 100 remarkable people from Aberdeen and the north-east, from singer and activist Annie Lennox to the innovator Thomas Blake Glover and football manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The upper floors are reached by a winding staircase, and the cellar holds a café. The house is managed by Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums for Aberdeen City Council.

Highlights

• Aberdeen's oldest surviving townhouse, from 1545
• Ten interactive displays on more than 100 local pioneers
• Painted Gallery with its Renaissance ceiling
• Free admission
• Café in the seventeenth-century cellar

Permanent exhibitions

• Aberdeen's pioneers – Ten themed interactive displays celebrate over 100 people from Aberdeen and the north-east, including singers, innovators and sportsmen.
• Painted Gallery – An attic gallery with a Renaissance painted ceiling that survives from the earlier museum displays.

Operated by

Aberdeen City Council (Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free and no advance booking is needed.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• 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

The ground floor is open to everyone. The upper floors are reached by a winding staircase and cannot be reached by wheelchair users or visitors with restricted mobility. Expect low ceilings and uneven floors. An accessible toilet is on the ground floor.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The displays are interactive and hands-on.

Getting there & parking

The house is in Guestrow, between Broad Street and Flourmill Lane in the city centre. Coaches can drop off on the adjacent street.

Amenities & dining

• Café

A café in the seventeenth-century cellar serves snacks, small meals, home baking and coffee.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Up to 40 guests.

Exclusive-use experiences for groups of 25 to 40 can be booked, with a guided tour of the house and optional talk and drinks reception for an additional charge.

Plan your visit