About
Marischal Museum is one of Scotland's most distinguished university museums, housed within the magnificent Marischal College — a breathtaking example of late Victorian Gothic revival architecture that forms the second-largest granite building in the world. Located at the heart of Aberdeen's city centre on Broad Street, the museum is part of the University of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's oldest universities, founded in 1495.
The museum's collections span an extraordinary breadth of human history and natural history, encompassing more than 80,000 objects gathered over centuries by scholars, explorers, travellers, and the wider university community. These holdings range from ancient Egyptian mummies and funerary objects to archaeological finds from across the ancient world, from ethnographic treasures of the Pacific, Africa, and the Americas to the natural history of the North East of Scotland.
Among the museum's most celebrated holdings is its Ancient Egypt collection, one of the finest in Scotland. Visitors can encounter mummies, shabtis, amulets, canopic jars, and elaborately decorated coffins that illuminate the beliefs and daily life of ancient Egyptian civilisation. The collection reflects the Victorian enthusiasm for Egyptology that swept through educated circles, with many items gifted by eminent scholars and travellers.
The world cultures galleries present material from indigenous communities across every inhabited continent, offering a window into the diversity of human experience and belief. These collections were assembled over several centuries and are now managed with increasing attention to ethical considerations and community consultation with originating cultures.
Aberdeen's own history is richly represented, with objects relating to the city's medieval past, its role as a trading port, its fishing and granite industries, and the lives of its communities through the centuries. Natural history specimens, geological samples, and biological collections further broaden the museum's remarkable scope.
Admission is free, making Marischal Museum one of the most accessible world-class collections in Scotland. The magnificent architecture of Marischal College alone is worth the visit, offering one of the most striking museum settings in the entire country. The museum is an essential destination for anyone visiting Aberdeen, offering a profound encounter with human history, world cultures, and the natural world.
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Plan Your Visit
💡 Visitor Tips
- Allow at least 90 minutes to see the main galleries — more if you want to explore the collections in depth
- Look up at the Marischal College façade before entering — the Gothic granite architecture is a spectacle in itself
- Pick up a free museum map and the children's activity trail at the entrance desk
- The Egyptian galleries are especially popular — visit early in the day for the best experience
- Check the museum website for any temporary exhibitions or special events during your visit
- Several excellent cafes and restaurants are just a short walk away on Union Street and Belmont Street
Highlights
Ancient Egypt Collection
Marischal Museum holds one of Scotland's finest Egyptian collections, featuring mummies, elaborately decorated coffins, shabtis, canopic jars, amulets, and funerary objects spanning thousands of years of ancient Egyptian civilisation. The collection reflects the Victorian fascination with Egyptology and was assembled through gifts from scholars, collectors, and explorers.
Visitors can study intricately carved hieroglyphs, examine the preservation techniques of mummification, and gain profound insights into ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife, death, and the sacred.
It is an unmissable highlight for anyone interested in the ancient world.
World Cultures Galleries
The world cultures displays at Marischal Museum present a remarkable diversity of human experience through objects gathered from across the globe. Collections from the Pacific Islands, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and Asia illuminate the beliefs, ceremonies, daily lives, and artistic traditions of indigenous and historical communities worldwide.
Many items were collected by University of Aberdeen graduates and associates during the age of exploration and scholarship.
Today, the museum works increasingly closely with originating communities to contextualise and share these collections, recognising the importance of multiple perspectives in understanding cultural heritage.
Aberdeen and North East Scotland History
The museum's collections relating to Aberdeen and the surrounding region offer a rich portrait of North East Scotland's history over many centuries.
Objects illuminate the city's medieval past, its significance as a coastal trading port, the granite and fishing industries that shaped its identity, and the everyday lives of local communities. Items include trade goods, domestic artefacts, tools, documents, and artworks that collectively tell the story of a distinctive Scottish city and its hinterland.
For visitors with a connection to Aberdeen or the North East, these galleries offer a deeply personal and engaging encounter with the region's heritage.
Archaeological Collections from the Ancient World
Beyond the celebrated Egyptian holdings, Marischal Museum preserves important archaeological collections from across the ancient world, including artefacts from ancient Greece, Rome, Cyprus, and the Near East. Pottery, coins, metalwork, glass, and carved objects reflect the interconnected civilisations of the Mediterranean and the broader ancient world.
Many pieces came to the museum through the university's academic networks, donated by archaeologists and collectors over centuries.
These collections provide valuable comparative material for researchers and fascinating objects for general visitors seeking a wider encounter with the art and material culture of the ancient world.
Collections
Ancient Egypt
A permanent display of mummies, coffins, funerary objects, and everyday items from ancient Egypt, exploring beliefs, customs, and daily life across thousands of years.
World Cultures
Galleries presenting ethnographic collections from Africa, the Pacific, the Americas, and Asia, exploring the diversity of human societies and their material cultures.
Aberdeen and the North East
Collections exploring the history of Aberdeen and North East Scotland, from medieval trade to industrial heritage and community life.
Natural History
Natural history specimens documenting the biodiversity of Scotland and beyond, including zoological, botanical, and geological collections.
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.