Moat Brae Review
101 George St, Dumfries DG1 1EA
Ratings:
Overall: 5/5
Cleanliness/Ambiance: 5/5
Food: 4/5
Customer Service: 5/5
Kid/Family Friendliness: 5/5
Accessibility: 5/5
Pricing per person: 10£ per adult. 7£ kids ages 4-15. 4£ ages 1-3. Free for under 1. Seniors 8£. Garden only is 3£
Website: https://www.moatbrae.org/
A little bit about Moat Brae
If you have never heard of Moat Brae, let me give you a quick run down. It is the birthplace of Peter Pan. This house is where J.M. Barrie used to play as a child and imagined all of Neverland. Right there in the garden. Each room has elements that were there back in the 1800’s when he used to visit. You can sit in his chair, see the original radiators, and see pictures of him and the other children who would play pirate games.
Each room in the house is very kid friendly. Kids can touch everything, look through keyholes to see wonderful pictures, put on a play in the theatre, and so much more. On top of that, every room has kids books in it, with plenty of seating so they are encouraged to pick up a book and read. If I came here as a child, I would never leave. The outside garden is just, if not more, amazing. Kids can climb all over the Jolly Roger that’s equipped with things to climb and hide in and big slides. It is situated right on the River Nith, so kids actually feel like pirates overlooking the water. There are crocodiles and shadows of the lost boys playing in the trees. It is also Scotland’s National Centre for Children’s Literature and Storytelling. They host a lot of events there, all or most including storytelling. It is really a place to get your child excited about reading.
Overview:
We were looking for something fun indoors for our toddler to do while staying in Dumfries, Scotland, and came upon Moat Brae in our research. We were debating going or not, and I am so glad we chose to visit. It’s a very unassuming building, but the inside is so magical. When you enter you pass the cute gift shop filled with beautiful kids books and toys. The ladies at the front were so friendly and welcoming. They explained everything to us and got our daughter very excited. The cafe is also when you walk in. The cafe has a brunch menu, a lunch menu and a selection of hot and cold drinks. Hot cocoa and Victoria Sponge were delightful.
To explore the house you pay at the front and they give you/your child a fun trail hunt they can fill out while going through the house and gardens, and bring back for a surprise! We had so much fun exploring, picking up books in each room and finding a cozy place to sit and read. The theatre room was so much fun for our daughter, and the arts and crafts space. She was so happy to hang her creation on the wall! Chasing Tinkerbell and seeing Peter Pan’s shadow was one of her favorite memories from here. The garden is absolutely stunning. There is something fun to see everywhere you look. Climbing all over the Jolly Roger pirate ship and finding the crocodile was so fun for her and us. They’ve done an amazing job of making this space so whimsical for kids. I cannot say enough good things about Moat Brae. If you are ever in Dumfries, you have to visit! Thank you for such a memorable experience. These are definitely core memories for our daughter!
Accessibility:
The house is wheelchair friendly and does include a lift. Parking is tricky. There is one handicap parking spot, and then there is a drop off only zone. You can park on the street if you have a disc (which is available at Moat Brae or most shops or offices in town). It is a system of allowing time restricted, free parking through display of a parking disc, or clock disc showing the time at which the vehicle was parked. Out front of Moat Brae is a 2 hour limit.
