As we move out of the coronavirus lockdown, our gated properties (historic buildings, visitor facilities, cafés, gardens, shops and toilets) and some of our outdoor places remain closed. We urge people to follow Scottish government advice to travel no more than 5 miles from home to visit our open places, to check opening times on the website and to carefully observe social distancing. Stay local, stay safe.
Getting here
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum is in Alloway, 2½ miles south of Ayr and is signposted from the A77. It’s around 40 minutes from Glasgow. There’s a regular train service from Glasgow to Ayr, and from Ayr there’s a local bus service to Alloway.
Opening times
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Museum
Christmas closures: 25, 26 Dec and 1, 2 Jan
- 1 Dec–19 Mar 2020, daily 10.00–17.00 Current period20 Mar–12 Aug, closed 13 Aug–30 Sep, Thurs–Mon, 10.00–17.30 1 Oct–31 Mar 2021, Thurs–Mon, 10.00–17.00
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Burns Cottage
Christmas closures: 25, 26 Dec and 1, 2 Jan
- 1 Dec–16 Jan 2020, closed 17 Jan–30 Jan, daily, 11.00–17.00 Current period31 Jan–12 Aug, closed 13 Aug–31 Mar 2021, Thurs–Mon, 11.00–17.00 (last admission 16.30)
Entry prices
- Adult
- £7.50
- Concession
- £4.50
- Family
- £18.50
- One adult family
- £12.50
Planning your visit
You can buy tickets at Burns Cottage and at the main museum on Murdoch’s Lone. The two sites are connected by a pedestrian walkway called the Poet’s Path.
For more information about planning your visit, please see the drop-down facilities information below or take a look at our frequently asked questions.
Facilities & access
- The two main sites (Burns Cottage and the museum) are connected by the Poet’s Path, a 500m pedestrian walkway. On busier days, our volunteers run a regular electric shuttle along it.
- We offer accessible openings on the first Tuesday of every month from 3–5pm. Robert Burns Birthplace Museum: interactive screens and sound effects will be switched off, and cleaning lights will be switched on. Burns Cottage: sound effects will be switched off.
We have an ongoing programme of accessible content development. Detailed accessibility guides for the most visited Trust places are available on our Accessibility pages as well as links to useful resources.
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.
Disabled parking is available at Burns Cottage and the museum.
Both the museum and the Education Pavilion (next to Burns Cottage) have accessible toilets.
There is level access at Burns Cottage and the museum. The Poet’s Path is also level and the Monument Gardens are accessible.
The historical parts of the site, such as the Auld Kirk, Brig o’ Doon and Burns Monument, have uneven steps and surfaces.
Dogs are welcome in the garden areas but please keep them on a lead.
Assistance dogs are welcome throughout the site.
There’s one electric car charging post at the museum. It has two charging spaces with the following specification: Rating: 7kW 32A - Socket: Type 2 Mennekes.
The museum, education areas and meeting rooms are fitted with induction loops.
Parking is available at the museum and Burns Cottage, although the site is easy to walk around. Parking is free for members of the National Trust for Scotland.
Our Burns-themed play area, Scots Wa-Hey, is perfect for young visitors and is full of fun features. It can be found in the museum garden.
There is level access at Burns Cottage and the museum. The Poet’s Path is also level and the Monument Gardens are wheelchair accessible.
The historical parts of the site, such as the Auld Kirk, Brig o’ Doon and Burns Monument, have uneven steps and surfaces.
Wheelchairs are available for any visitors who need them.