Step aboard history at Discovery Point: Dundee’s award-winning maritime museum, and home to Captain Scott’s iconic Antarctic ship

In the heart of Dundee’s waterfront, you can find the Discovery Point, a striking museum that brings polar exploration to life. Here, the city’s maritime heritage is immortalized through the world-famous RRS Discovery, the ship that carried Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton to the frozen heart of Antarctica. As you will waddle inside the sleek, glass-fronted building of Discovery Point, you are stepping into a story of human endurance, science, bravery, and extreme survival. If you find yourself in Dundee, the RRS Discovery is a must-visit. Read on to learn everything you need to know before your visit.

What Is Discovery Point?

Discovery Point is an immersive experience. This award-winning museum brings the story of the 1901 British National Antarctic Expedition vividly to life through interactive displays, film footage, detailed exhibitions, and, most importantly, access to the actual RRS Discovery, docked just outside. Designed as a state-of-the-art research and exploration hub, the building is inspired by nautical forms, with curved lines echoing a ship’s hull and panoramic glass windows offering views across Dundee’s rejuvenated waterfront and the V&A Dundee next door.

Why Visit Discovery Point in Dundee?

Few places in the UK allow such close, physical access to a historic ship of this calibre, and none with the same emotional pull as the RRS Discovery. Her story isn’t just about sailing; it’s about the limits of human resilience, the pursuit of knowledge, and the undying spirit of exploration.

Add to that a beautifully designed museum, family-friendly features, and a prime location along Dundee’s rapidly transforming waterfront, and you have one of Scotland’s most unique and inspiring attractions.

Practical Information

Opening Hours

• Monday to Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Last admission is 1 hour before closing.

Admission Prices

• Adults: £12.50
• Children (5–16): £7.25
• Children under 5: free entry
• Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children): £33.00
• Penguins: free entry
• Tickets include access to both the museum and the ship.

Facilities

• Gift Shop. Full of nautical-themed souvenirs, books, and polar exploration memorabilia.
• Accessible Toilets and baby-changing facilities.
• Fully wheelchair accessible (including access to some parts of the ship via ramps and lifts).
• Audio guides and interactive screens with multiple language options.

Get A Picture With The Penguins

Even before you enter the museum, you can get a picture with four adorable penguin statues in front of the museum.

Waddling Inside the Museum

As you waddle inside the museum, you can see a gift shop on the left and the ticket counter right in front of you, where you can buy tickets. We also bought the tickets at the counter.

Then you waddle and immerse yourself inside Discovery Point. There are plenty of exhibitions to go through.

Immersive Cinema Experience

Step into the museum’s dedicated cinema and you’ll be instantly transported to the beautiful landscapes of Antarctica. Giant screens wrap around the room, showing dramatic footage of the icy terrain, towering glaciers, and storm-lashed seas. As you watch, you’ll hear narrated tales from the men who braved these frozen frontiers — first-hand accounts from Scott and his crew — accompanied by atmospheric sound effects and music. It’s a moment of reflection and awe, as you glimpse the harsh realities and breathtaking beauty of the world’s coldest continent as the penguins waddle around it.

Hands-On Discovery Zones

We loved how here, history isn’t just something to read, it’s something you touch and explore. You can get up close with real and replica tools aboard the ship, feel the coarse rope and timber that made up the Discovery, and examine the navigation instruments that guided explorers through uncharted polar waters. You can even handle replicas of snow goggles, sledging equipment, and early scientific gear, a tangible connection to life aboard a ship frozen in ice for two years.

Expedition Diaries: A Window Into the Human Experience

We could also peek into the actual words of the men who endured the cold, isolation, and immense challenges of polar exploration. Digital displays allow you to flip through digitized pages of the expedition’s journals, filled with sketches, scientific observations, and deeply personal reflections. Learn how they coped with months of darkness, sub-zero temperatures, and the mental toll of the unknown. Quotes from Captain Scott, Edward Wilson, and Ernest Shackleton reveal camaraderie and hardship in a world far from civilization.

Scientific Exploration Zones: The Heart of the Mission

At the core of the 1901 expedition was the mission to advance science, and this section shows just how groundbreaking their research was. Interactive exhibits let you trace how the crew studied penguin colonies, sea ice, glaciology, meteorology, and even the mysterious deep-sea life beneath the ice. You’ll discover how their data helped lay the foundation for modern polar science and climate research. Kids and adults alike can engage with digital microscopes, map-reading challenges, and specimen displays showing what the team collected during their two-year stay in the frozen South.

Perfect for Playful Learning and Sensory Exploration

Discovery Point is for everyone with a curious mind. It’s not just for history buffs. Scattered throughout the museum are activity zones where kids can dress up like polar explorers, complete with faux fur parkas, goggles, and boots. They can climb into tents like those used on the ice and try their hand at steering a mock ship using an old-fashioned wheel and compass.

You can test your navigation skills on touchscreen challenges, simulate building a snow shelter, or “pack the sledge” for a polar journey and see how well they balance weight and supplies. These gamified learning areas are both fun and informative, making complex concepts like survival logistics and ice core sampling more accessible.

The Discovery Dome: Antarctica in 360 Degrees

A highlight for us was the Discovery Dome, a fully enclosed projection theatre offering a 360-degree immersive show. You stand surrounded by sweeping views of Antarctic ice fields, diving penguins, and howling winds. The projection combines high-definition footage, ambient sounds, and narration to give you the sense of standing right in the heart of the polar wilderness. It’s both awe-inspiring and deeply atmospheric — one of the most memorable parts of the museum.

Step Aboard the RRS Discovery: A Real-Life Time Capsule

Now, waddling the ship is the absolute highlight. The last stop in the museum is as you step outside the museum and onto the RRS Discovery, stands proudly, her three tall masts rising above the skyline, her wooden frame a testament to Victorian craftsmanship and courage.

What You Can See on the Ship Today

Waddling aboard the Discovery is like stepping into the pages of a polar explorer’s journal.

• The Wardroom. Where the officers ate, socialized, and strategized. Maps, photos, and period furniture bring the room to life. You can almost hear the quiet discussions over strategy and the clinking of tin mugs.
• Captain Scott’s Cabin. The cabin features his original bunk, wooden desk, storage chest, and several personal belongings, providing a powerful glimpse into the quiet solitude of a man leading one of the most ambitious polar expeditions of the era. It’s a small room, but filled with the weight of history.

• The Mess Deck. This was where the rest of the crew slept, ate, and tried to stay warm through endless nights in the Antarctic freeze. The deck is lined with cramped hammocks slung between beams, simple benches, and examples of the basic meals the men would have eaten. It’s a raw, humbling look at how the 40+ crew members endured the bitter cold and close quarters for months on end.
• The Engine Room. One of the most fascinating parts of the ship, the engine room housed the coal-fired boilers and early steam engines that supplemented the sails when winds were weak or conditions were rough. It was hot, noisy, and physically demanding work, but essential to keeping the ship moving. Today, you can see the massive mechanical components up close and gain insight into how cutting-edge, yet still risky, this technology was at the time.

• The Upper Deck. Waddle up to the open-air upper deck for breathtaking views over the River Tay and Dundee’s modern waterfront, including the V&A Dundee and Slessor Gardens. With the ship’s towering masts above you and the city skyline in the background, it’s the perfect spot for photos, and a moment to reflect on how far this ship, and its crew, once travelled from these calm Scottish waters.

Nearby Attractions

Make a day of it! Within walking distance, you’ll also find:

• V&A Dundee – Scotland’s first design museum, with rotating exhibitions and striking architecture.
• The McManus Galleries – Art, history, and Dundee heritage all under one roof.
• Dundee Science Centre – Perfect for kids and interactive learning.
• Slessor Gardens – Great for a picnic or rest after a museum-packed morning.

Whether you’re chasing Scotland’s maritime past, retracing the footsteps of polar pioneers, or simply looking for a family-friendly day out, Discovery Point and the RRS Discovery offer an unforgettable experience. It’s not just a ship, but a living legacy, and climbing aboard is a journey you won’t forget. So pack your sense of adventure, head to Dundee, and let the Discovery inspire your own voyage — even if it’s just for the day. And don’t forget to count the number of penguins you will see here.

Pack your bag, put your exploration shoes on and waddle more!

---