Museums & Galleries · Aberdeenshire
Tolbooth Museum
📍 AB39 2JU
Photo: Stanley Howe (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- View an original cell door from the former prison
- See the Inverbervie stocks, a rare seven-hole example
- See the Crank, a weighted prisoner punishment device
- Free Dinosaur Hunt with a Lucky Dip prize for children
- Display boards on the Pneumodesmus newmani fossil discovery
The Tolbooth Museum sits in the oldest building in Stonehaven, right on the harbour front, and tells the story of a structure that began as a storehouse before becoming a courthouse and prison. Inside you'll find an original cell door, the rare seven-hole Inverbervie stocks, and the Crank punishment device, alongside kitchen and household bygone items and display boards on a remarkable local fossil find. Children can enjoy a free dinosaur hunt while adults browse the artefacts. Entry is free, though the museum is closed Mondays and Sundays. Being in Aberdeenshire, close to Stonehaven station just a mile away, it's an easy stop if you're staying nearby, with eight bookable places to stay within 5 miles.
Practical details
- Booking
- Entry is free; group visits outside normal times can be arranged via the committee
- Best for
- Families, with a free dinosaur hunt activity for children
From the attraction's own website on 6 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Restaurant
- ✓ Guided Tours
- ✓ Parking
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Create a free account to claimPlaces to stay near Tolbooth Museum
Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0.1 mi
0.1 mi
0.3 mi
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0.7 mi
Stonehaven Queen Elizabeth Park Caravan Club Site
✓ Seaside location at Stonehaven Bay, short walk to town and harbour
Stonehaven
🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Tolbooth 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
- Stonehaven 1 miles
- Portlethen 7.5 miles
- Laurencekirk 13.1 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page