Key in a search term below to search our website.
A Self-Led visit is free to book and allows you and your group to explore the museum and farm at your pace.
Self-led visits
Philipshill Road,
East Kilbride,
G76 9HR
Tel: 0300 123 6789
Annual Pass*
Adult £10
Concession £9
Child 5-15 £7
Under 5s Free †
National Museums Scotland Members Free †
National Trust for Scotland Members Free †
15% off when you book as a family**
*Tickets are valid for unlimited visits for 12 months from the date of purchase (additional charge for some events). Find out more about Terms and conditions apply for Annual Pass
†Additional charge for some events.
**15% off when you buy up to three Child 5–15 tickets alongside up to any two Adult or Concession tickets, with
a maximum of five tickets in total. Cannot be used in conjunction with Member tickets or any other discount or offer.
Discounts available for group bookings.
School visits are free; some workshop charges apply.
Museum open
Open daily, 10:00 - 17:00
Last entry 16:00
Museum open
Open daily, 10:00 - 17:00
Paid entry, Members free
Before you visit
Plan your visit in class using our museum map and museum information.
Supervision
Please be aware that pupils need to be supervised at all times when visiting the museum. We recommend splitting your class into small groups.
Don't miss
Book the tractor trailer and visit our working farm – don’t miss seeing it as part of your visit.
Garden Detectives
Visit our interactive gallery Garden Detectives to see the life cycle of a dragonfly and a frog, tip a watering can to see a flower grow, explore the gallery to reveal different insects and smell different flowers just like a bee in the garden.
Schools bookings to the National Museum of Rural Life are now open.
We have a variety of visits available:
Your class can plan to spend a full day visiting the National Museum of Rural Life:
You'll find lots more information on the visit planning section of the museum pages, and you can also book a pre-visit to help you plan your day.
To ensure your visit runs smoothly, all school visits to the National Museum of Rural Life must be booked in advance.
To book please complete our booking form, either for a self led visit or a visit with a facilitated workshop.
Pre-booked general school visits and downloadable resources are free of charge.
All other events, activities and workshops have a cost of £100.
Your school will be invoiced after your visit.
Please arrive at the time stated on your booking, this is usually 10am unless otherwise discussed.
We have a designated bus drop off location - the information on this can be found here.
After drop-off, buses can park in the coach park outside the museum the entrance of which is via the mini-roundabout.
All school visitors have a designated lunch space and/or tubs designed to hold jackets and school bags.
However, these items are not held securely so we advice keeping any valuable items on your person at all times.
On your booking confirmation we will assign you a lunch space should you require one.
We also have an outdoor picnic area for those lucky enough to visit on a sunny day!
The museum galleries, including Garden Detectives, are fully accessible via lifts.
We have accessible toilets on all levels, as well as at the farm.
The tractor trailer has a wheelchair lift, making it accessible.
There is an Adult Changing Places (U) toilet on the ground floor of the museum.
You can also read our full accessibility information.
We are happy for you to take photographs, including flash photography, in the general museum and farm but not the farmhouse.
There is a Museum Shop left of the Orientation Area (please ensure there is a ratio of 1 adult to 10 children when in shop).
There is a café to the right of the Orientation Area. Take-away tea/coffee/liquids are not permitted in the museum.
You can download our guidelines for teachers to help you write your own risk assessment. Teachers can make a free pre-visit to carry out their own risk assessment.
We have developed an agreement which sets out what we aim to offer during your visit, and in return what we ask from you.
We ask that pupils visiting in school groups are accompanied at all times during their visit at a ratio of:
1 adult: 5 pupils (under the age of 5)
1 adult: 10 pupils (primary school pupils)
1 adult: 15 pupils (secondary school pupils)
Where pupils require support on a 1:1 ratio, this adult should be included over and above these ratios.
We ask that pupils visiting in school groups are accompanied at all times during their visit at a ratio of:
1 adult: 5 pupils (under the age of 5)
1 adult: 10 pupils (primary school pupils)
1 adult: 15 pupils (secondary school pupils)
Where pupils require support on a 1:1 ratio, this adult should be included over and above these ratios.
We will send you full safety guidelines, a booking checklist and our agreement with you with your booking confirmation. Please check them before your visit. In addition, please read, sign and follow any safety notices and instructions from Visitor Experience staff.
Keep up to date with our latest resources, digital sessions and more by subscribing today.
Subscribe today