Provost Skene's House
Provost Skene’s House celebrates the pioneering people of Aberdeen and the North-East of Scotland who have not only shaped the city, but have also helped transform the world.
The stories, discoveries and achievements of over 100 remarkable individuals from Aberdeen and the North-East are showcased in new interactive displays housed within one of the city’s most historic buildings. They include innovators, scientists, life savers, writers, sporting champions and stars of stage and screen. Everyone featured was born, has lived or worked in Aberdeen or the North-East. They range from Nobel laureate Lord Boyd Ord (who helped establish the city’s world-renowned Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health), to operatic soprano Mary Garden (one of entertainment’s first superstars) and football legend Denis Law.
Dating from 1545, Provost Skene’s House is the oldest surviving town house in Aberdeen. It has been added to and altered many times during its life and since 2019, the house has undergone major refurbishment. The building is named after one of its owners, Sir George Skene (1619-1708), a wealthy merchant and Provost of Aberdeen from 1676 to 1685. The house was used by Hanoverian troops as a billet during the Jacobite rebellion and the Duke of Cumberland stayed here on his way to Culloden. During the 1800s, the Guestrow area of Aberdeen was very run down. The once grand home became Victoria Lodging House, a hostel for the homeless. Provost Skene’s house was threatened with demolition in 1940, but a long-running public campaign saved it and it began its life as a museum in 1953. Following a major refurbishment it re-opened in October 2021.
