Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Cottage & Museum

Humble abode of inspirational geologist, folklorist and fossil hunter with a Garden of Wonders.

Planning Your Visit

Planning your visit

Dogs are only permitted in the cobbled courtyard and in Lydia Garden. Assistance dogs are allowed throughout the property.

For more information about planning your visit, please see the drop-down facilities below or our frequently asked questions.

If you’d like to speak to us we can be contacted by email on millermuseum@nts.org.uk or telephone 01381 600245.

Facilities & access

There is ground floor wheelchair access to the cottage. There are stairs to the upper floor and steep steps to the garden.

Access to the ground floor of Miller House is via steps and there are stairs to the upper floors.

We have an ongoing programme of accessible content development. We have created a detailed accessibility guide for Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Cottage & Museum.

We’d love you to visit the Euan’s Guide website to review the accessibility of Trust places and tell us (and others) what’s good and where we need to do better.

Baby changing

Children’s activities

Guided tour

Guided tours are available if booked in advance.

Group visits (maximum 20) can be booked by contacting the property directly. Coaches can drop parties outside the museum.

Hearing loop

Parking

Car parking is available near the property in Church Street, as well as on the shoreline and in two car parks within a few hundred metres.

Bike racks are not available at the property.

Self-guided trails

Explore the historic cottage where Hugh Miller was born. Built in the 1700s by Hugh’s great-grandfather, it has been furnished as a typical space for living in the early 1800s.

Outside, Lydia Garden features an ornate sundial pedestal carved by Hugh. This traditional cottage garden was named in honour of Hugh’s wife and leads on to a tiny, peaceful Garden Room: Space for Reflection.

The museum next door contains artefacts relating to Hugh’s life, including some of his outstanding fossil discoveries, his manuscripts, shepherd’s plaid and mason’s mallet.

Behind the museum is Miller’s Yard: Garden of Wonders, where there’s much to discover about natural history. Explore the mystery trail with testing clues and giant fossils.

Shop

A stall in the cobbled courtyard sells locally grown plants.
The gift shop in the museum sells a great range of souvenirs, including books, minerals, gems and fossils.
There is a second-hand book shop in the cottage.

Toilet

There is one toilet in Miller House which is partially accessible.

Wi-Fi

Opening times

Birthplace Please note that last entry is 30 mins before closing.: Current period 1 Nov–22 Dec, Thu–Sun, 11.00–16.00 23 Dec–31 Mar 2025, closed 1 Apr–31 May, Wed–Sun, 11.00–16.00 1 Jun–31 Aug, daily, 11.00–16.00 1 Sep–31 Oct, Wed–Sun, 11.00–16.00