Museums & Galleries · Scarborough
Rotunda Museum
📍 YO11 2HB
Photo: Keith D (CC BY 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- Georgian gallery with frieze showing local coastal geology
- See 11,000-year-old artefacts from the Star Carr Collection
- Ancient Seas Gallery featuring prehistoric creatures from Yorkshire
- Original cases telling the museum's own history
- One of the world's first purpose-built museums, opened 1829
The Rotunda Museum is a historic, purpose-built museum on the Yorkshire coast, exploring coastal heritage and geology. Inside its Georgian gallery you'll find a frieze depicting local coastal geology, original display cases charting the museum's history, fossils, the 11,000-year-old Star Carr Collection and the Ancient Seas Gallery with creatures that once lived in Yorkshire. It suits families, school groups and anyone curious about natural history, with a lift giving step-free access to all three floors. Note that the West Wing is currently closed due to water leaks. Located in Scarborough, it's close to Scarborough station and Scarborough South Bay beach, with plenty of nearby places to stay for those planning a longer visit.
Practical details
- Open
- Closed Mondays and Sundays; open Tuesday to Saturday
- Dogs
- Well-behaved dogs on a lead are welcome
- Accessibility
- Ground floor fully accessible, lift to all floors, no steps into galleries
- Parking
- No on-site parking; nearby pay and display and Blue Badge parking available
- Booking
- Groups of 10 or more should contact in advance
From the attraction's own website on 19 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Cafe
- ✓ Toilets
- ✓ Disabled Access
- ✓ Baby Changing
- ✓ Gift Shop
- ✓ Pet Friendly
- ✓ Parking
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Create a free account to claimPlaces to stay near Rotunda Museum
Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0 mi
0.1 mi
0.1 mi
Grand Hotel
✓ Victorian landmark overlooking Scarborough's harbour and South Bay
🏖️ a few minutes' walk from Scarborough South Bay (Poor water quality)
Scarborough
0.1 mi
Riviera Town House
✓ Georgian town house in a central Scarborough location
🏖️ a few minutes' walk from Scarborough South Bay (Poor water quality)
Scarborough
0.1 mi
Travelodge
✓ Overlooks South Bay beach in Scarborough
🏖️ a few minutes' walk from Scarborough South Bay (Poor water quality)
Scarborough
0.1 mi
🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Rotunda Museum into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- Scarborough 0.3 miles
- Seamer 2.8 miles
- Filey 6.4 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page