About
King's Museum is the University of Aberdeen's main public-facing museum, housed in the historic Old Aberdeen campus. As part of one of Scotland's oldest universities — founded in 1495 — the museum opens its extraordinary teaching and research collections to the public, offering visitors a rare window into centuries of scholarly inquiry and global exploration.
The collections span an exceptional breadth of subjects: natural history specimens including zoology, botany and geology accumulated through university fieldwork and donations over five centuries; objects from world cultures representing communities across Africa, the Americas, Oceania and Asia; and a fine art collection that includes works commissioned or gifted to the university since the Renaissance. Among the most compelling holdings are ethnographic objects collected during 18th and 19th-century expeditions, geological specimens central to Aberdeen's long history of earth sciences research, and mummified animals from ancient Egypt.
Situated in the Old Aberdeen conservation area — a neighbourhood of medieval streets, ancient stone buildings and leafy quads — King's Museum occupies a setting that enriches every visit. The Zoology Building sits close to King's College Chapel, one of Scotland's finest medieval churches, and the surrounding campus retains much of its original 15th-century character.
The museum operates primarily during university term-time, offering free admission to all. Guided tours, school visit programmes and temporary exhibitions are regularly scheduled, making it a living resource for the city as well as the academic community. University of Aberdeen curators are actively engaged in object-based teaching and research, meaning the collections continue to grow and evolve. King's Museum exemplifies the role of the university museum as a place of discovery, conversation and lifelong learning — connecting Aberdeen's academic heritage with curious minds of all backgrounds.
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Plan Your Visit
📅 Best Times to Visit
💡 Visitor Tips
- Check the university website before visiting to confirm current opening hours, as the museum operates primarily during term-time and is closed during vacation periods.
- Combine your visit with nearby King's College Chapel — a masterpiece of Scottish Gothic architecture that is free to enter and just 50 metres away.
- The Old Aberdeen area is a wonderful walking neighbourhood — pick up a heritage trail leaflet from the museum to explore the medieval streets and historic buildings.
- Children enjoy the object-handling sessions if timed right — ask at the front desk about any scheduled activities on the day of your visit.
- Photography is welcome throughout the galleries, making this a wonderful place to document Scotland's natural and cultural heritage.
- The museum shop stocks excellent academic publications and gifts not found elsewhere in Aberdeen.
- Bus route 20 from Union Street in the city centre drops you very close to the museum entrance — a comfortable 15-minute journey from the main shopping area.
Highlights
Discover the unique exhibits and collections at this museum.
Collections
Natural History and Geology
Core permanent displays showcasing the university's zoology, botany and geology collections, with specimens illustrating evolution, biodiversity and Scottish earth sciences.
📍 Main gallery
World Cultures
Permanent display of ethnographic objects from Africa, the Americas, Oceania and Asia, with contextual interpretation and community engagement materials.
📍 World cultures gallery
Ancient Egypt and Mediterranean Antiquities
Display of mummified animals, shabtis, amulets and other ancient Egyptian objects alongside Mediterranean antiquities from the university's classical collections.
📍 Antiquities gallery
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.