15 Apr 2019

Roll up, roll up, as Brodick Castle reopens

Visitors can enjoy a taste of the Victorian era at the revamped Brodick Castle.

Brodick Castle has re-opened to visitors this month (April), after a huge project at the historic Arran landmark.

The castle closed in November 2016 for major works to protect the castle and its beautiful collections.

The Trust has also transformed the visitor experience to create a more interactive and entertaining historical visitor experience for everyone to enjoy.

Designed to take a fresh approach to telling its rich stories and to give guests a glimpse back to the Victorian era, the new experience focuses on the lives of those who lived at Brodick Castle and the fun-filled activities they would have enjoyed there.

Working recreations of some of the period’s most popular arcade games are fully playable for families to enjoy in the castle’s new Victorian Arcade. Several rooms now include immersive exhibits containing sights and sounds that evoke the lives of the Hamiltons who lived in the castle, including the lively music played in the Drawing Room and informative narration which plays automatically as guests visit certain parts of the castle.

Brodick Castle staff try out the Victorian Arcade

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“We’ve brought an interactivity to the castle’s exhibits with special lighting and soundscapes to make each room feel alive.”

Jared Bowers, Operations Manager at Brodick Castle

Operations Manager for Brodick Castle, Jared Bowers said: ‘We’ve completely redesigned the visitor experience at Brodick Castle. We wanted to be able to tell the rich, dramatic stories of this national and natural treasure in a new, more exciting way for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

‘We want each visitor to step into the shoes of the people who used to live in the castle and to celebrate the fun-loving history in a way that offers a fantastic day out for all the family.’

Visitors can enjoy an interactive experience at Brodick Castle.

The castle’s treasure trove of period furniture, silverware, porcelain, paintings and sporting trophies has also returned to the castle for visitors to enjoy.

With a stunning backdrop of the beautiful Goatfell, the grounds outside of the castle offer stunning woodland walks, fantastic views and recent features such as the Isle Be Wild adventure play park and the new sparkling charm of the Silver Garden Trail.

The project at Brodick Castle is part of the Trust’s five-year strategy, investing £57 million to improve visitor experience and the condition of the heritage sites in our care.