General Information
Opening Times
Admission to Dumfries House is by guided tour only. There is no charge for admission onto the Estate.
March
House open Sunday-Friday (Saturday, subject to availability). Tours at 12.15pm and 1.45pm only.
April – October:
House open Sunday-Friday (Saturday, subject to availability). Tours available from 11am. Last admission 3.30pm.
November – February:
House open on Saturday and Sunday. Tours at 12.15pm and 1.45pm only.
Pre-booking tickets for tours is advised but not necessary. Visitors can check same day availability by calling the Booking Line (01290) 421742, or simply “drop-in” on tours and pay on arrival. Maximum 23 per tour. Please note, the House may be closed from time to time due to private functions and events.
Admission Prices
Adults: House Tour £8.50; Grand Tour £12.50;
Children aged 5 to 16: £4.00;
Under 5s: Free (due to space restrictions, baby buggies are not permitted on guided tours)
Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling the Booking Line on 01290 421742 or booked online. . Same day tickets may be reserved by calling 01290 421742.
Please note: Entry to Dumfries House is no longer via the front steps. Visitors with pre-booked tickets are required to make their way on foot to the new main visitor entrance signposted at the West Wing of Dumfries House. Visitors may ‘check-in’ to the visitor entrance up to 20 minutes before their scheduled tour time and will have access to a waiting area and toilets.
Please arrive no later than 5 minutes before your scheduled tour time.
Visitors who have not pre-booked tickets are advised to telephone ahead of their visit to check tour availability and reserve places. Where space is available, tickets may be purchased and collected from the main visitor entrance.
Guided Tours
The guided House Tour lasts for approximately one hour and the Grand Tour is one and a half hours long. Tours are usually limited to a maximum number of 20 visitors. Please keep baggage brought into the House to a minimum. You may be asked to check large items into our cloakroom (including baby buggies).
We do ask visitors to wear ‘sensible’ shoes – floor surfaces inside the house may be uneven and ‘stiletto-type’ heels may damage delicate wooden floors.
Photography is not permitted inside the House.
Disabled access, facilities and stairs
There are several flights of stairs within Dumfries House. From 2012 disabled access to the ground floor is via a ramp. Once inside, a stair lift is available to the first floor which houses the principal rooms. Regrettably, there is no disabled access to the second floor. A wheelchair is available for use on the first floor which must be booked in advance by calling 01290 421742. Due to Health and Safety regulations, no other wheelchair may be used on the first floor.
The Coach House Cafe is accessible by all wheelchair users.
Portable stools are available (subject to demand) for visitors on guided tours (Max weight 16 stone).
Amplified hearing transmission is available for hearing impaired visitors provided their hearing aid is equipped with a telephone coil. (T-Switch)
Please call us on 01290 425959 to discuss any concerns you may have ahead of your visit.
Toilet Facilities
Toilet facilities are available in the House via the main visitor entrance between 11.00am and 4.00pm every scheduled open day.
Refreshments
Light refreshments including soup, sandwiches and home baking can be purchased in our new Coach House café from 10.00am to 5.00pm, 7 days a week during the house's open season.
Due to fire regulations, capacity in the café is limited. Group restrictions apply.
The Estate and Grounds are available for visitors to enjoy - picnics are allowed, but please ensure you take all litter home with you. We ask for dogs to be kept on a lead at all times and for visitors to be aware of possible movements of livestock and farm machinery on the Estate.
Access to the House is restricted on closed days and after 6pm when Estate gates are locked. All vehicles must leave the car park areas by this time.
Limited outdoor seating is available and picnic benches can be found at the Play Area.
Group Bookings
Dumfries House is open for group bookings all year (minimum 20 people) even outwith normal opening times. Please contact us on 01290 429900 to discuss your specific requirements.
We recommend that groups (+20 people) pre-book a refreshment package. Currently we have three package options ranging from a light refreshment to a full afternoon tea. Groups who pre-book refreshments will have exclusive use of either the 18th century Stable's beside the Coach House Cafe of the Rothesay Room in the House itself.
Why should a group pre-book?
There will be no waiting as the stable block facility will have been reserved for you. Those groups who have not pre-booked will have access to our cafe where service will be on a first come, first served basis and may be considerably slower than with a pre-booked option. The cafe has a limited capacity of 40.
Please call us on 01290 421742 to discuss any special requests in advance of your visit.
We can offer your group one of three delicious refreshment packages to pre-book:
Light refreshments @ £4.00 per head: Tea or coffee, and a scrumptiously light home baked scone with jam & butter or a tasty traybake.
Lunch Combo @ £8.50 per head: Fresh homemade soup of the day served with a bread roll and an assorted platter of freshly made sandwiches to share, tea or coffee and a tasty traybake.
Afternoon Cream Tea @ £9.00 per head: An assortment of freshly made finger sandwiches, our scrumptiously light home-baked scones with Devon clotted cream, jam and butter, and a selection of homemade tray bakes and either tea or coffee.
The offering on the day of the visit will be subject to availability.
Additional “Hot Lunch” option for Group Bookings in 2013
This year, Group Bookings will have an exclusive additional lunch option to choose from on top of the existing Light Refreshment, Lunch Combo and Afternoon Tea packages. The "Hot Lunch" will provide a more substantial meal for those groups who may either have a long journey home or just want something that bit more special to complement their visit to Dumfries House. The "Hot Lunch" is :
Two courses (Starter & Main, or Main & Dessert) followed by tea or coffee: £17.50pp
Options to be chosen from our menu in advance of group visits. Menu available on request. This two-course lunch is only available to groups of a minimum of 20/maximum of 40 people who pre-book tours of the House. Lunches can be prepared and ready prior to, or after, tours in the 18th century Stables building or Rothesay Room in Dumfries House itself (subject to availability). Not only is the price incredible but the quality and choice of food will make your group visit to Dumfries House memorable for years to come.
For more information on the menu or to book your group visit and “Hot Lunch”, call 01290 429900 or email a.macdonald@dumfries-house.org.uk
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