Known as the ‘City of Discovery’, or the ‘City of Jute, Jam, and Journalism’ back in its industrial heyday, the streets of Dundee are packed with hidden gems and treasures. The city has played a role in many innovations from the invention of marmalade to construction of the RRS Discovery, a steamship which served as a merchant ship during World War I. Situated on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, Dundee is a city with rich industrial heritage, interesting wildlife, and scenic hiking routes.
Read on to discover our top picks for the must-visit attractions in the City of Discovery.
V&A Dundee
Dundee is home to the first V&A museum in the world outside of London, which also happens to be Scotland’s first ever design museum. The V&A Dundee takes you on a journey through the world of design, showcasing how our everyday lives are impacted by design and exploring the past, present, and future of the industry. The V&A also hosts themed exhibitions year-round which focus on some of the most famous designs from around the world. The ‘Tartan’ exhibition is currently on show at the V&A until January 2024 and explores the history of one of the world’s most recognisable textiles and the famous symbol of Scotland. For more information on this exhibition, click here.

The McManus Art Gallery and Museum
The McManus Art Gallery and Museum is housed within a stunning Gothic Victorian building and has eight gallery spaces, showcasing stunning exhibitions spanning 400 million years where visitors can learn about the history of Dundee through audio guided tours, paintings, and historical artefacts. The gallery also has a café with an extensive menu and an outdoor seating area to refuel before exploring the rest of the exhibitions. The McManus Shop stocks a wide range of mementos available for purchase including traditional historic toys, books, and jewellery.

Dundee Science Centre
Visit this award-winning attraction for a fun and educational day out for the whole family. Learn about the world around us and the impact science has on everyday life with the science centre’s interactive and immersive exhibits. The centre aims to help us unlock the scientist in all of us by exploring the wonders of the natural world, great inventions, designs and innovations, and medical marvels. There is also a café where visitors can have lunch and refreshments and kids can enjoy a range of free activities.

Discovery Point
Be transported back to 1901 and discover the RRS Discovery from a new perspective at Discovery Point. This attraction offers a fully immersive 360-degree audio-visual experience allowing Dundee City and the River Tay to be viewed as it was over 120 years ago when the RRS Discovery made her maiden voyage with Captain Scott and his crew to the Antarctic, spending two long winters in harsh conditions all in the name of exploration. The ship also played a major role during the First World War as a merchant ship. This award-winning attraction offers state of the art audio-visual exhibitions as well as displays of artefacts belonging to Captain Scott and his men.

The Dundee Law
The summer of the Dundee Law is the highest point of the city, stretching to 174 metres and offering stunning panoramic views of Dundee, the River Tay, and even as far as Fife and Perthshire. The Law is often referred to as “Dundee’s Volcano” but it is a volcanic plug formed over 400 million years ago when flowing lava was pushed through the weakened rocks and over time rain and glaciers cleared away the softer rock that surrounded it and exposed the volcanic sill we see today. The Law is rich in history as it was used as a hill-fort during the Iron Age and prehistoric graves have been found on the slopes. Pottery estimated to be from the 1st century AD has also been discovered on The Law. Today, it is a popular hiking route with hundreds of visitors gathering each week to take in the stunning views which span around 45 miles on a clear day and learn more about Dundee’s history from the fact panels which are dotted around the site.

We hope our list of must-visit attractions may have inspired you to visit the wonderful city of Dundee. We have many customisable packages for the East of Scotland which can incorporate a visit to Dundee to enjoy these fantastic attractions. For more information, click here.