Peterhead Prison Museum — Attraction in Scotland

Fascinating audio tour allowing us civies the opportunity to have a nosey around a prison, and learn about the history of the Scottish prison service and the Peterhead Prison. I was particularly impressed with the thought given to accessibility, plenty of seats dotted around for a wee break, all stepss have handrails and there's is an accessible lift to take you upstairs to the final part of the tour and the cafe. The cafe is bright and clean, offering views out to sea and the best apple and cinnamon scones ever made, and the prices are very fair - very refreshing for a tourist attraction. Toilet facilities are excellent, also, clean and with plenty of paper, soap and hand cream. The accessible loo was in use when I wanted to use it, however I found the ladies general use loos to be spacious enough that people using walking aids like myself have sufficient room in the cubicles to attend to nature's call comfortably. All the staff were friendly, polite and well presented, and the tour itself was thoroughly enjoyable. Perfect for a dreich day on your own or with the family, and very...

Peterhead Prison Museum Review

Peterhead Prison Museum offers a captivating look into the grim and fascinating history of Scotland’s former maximum-security prison. Known as the “Harshest Jail in Scotland,” it housed some of the country’s most notorious criminals, including Peter Manuel, the serial killer known as “The Beast of Birkenshaw,” and Johnny Ramensky, a famous safecracker and wartime spy.

One of the most dramatic events in the prison’s history was the 1987 riot, when prisoners took control of the facility. During the uprising, they barricaded themselves in and even held a prison officer hostage in the rooftop guard tower. The incident was so severe that the Special Air Service (SAS) was called in to resolve the situation, cementing Peterhead's place in Scotland’s criminal history.

The museum does an incredible job of telling these stories with chilling detail, taking visitors through the cells, punishment blocks, and work areas that once contained these infamous individuals. It’s a must-visit for those intrigued by Scotland’s criminal history or looking for a truly...

I recently visited the Peterhead Prison Museum and took part in the guided tour with pre-recorded audio, The tour was pretty fascinating, and the audio excellent, having been in this prison in the 70s myself it was kind of surreal to see it in its current state, so quiet and eerie compared to the actual noise and mayhem that I experienced and remembered, great tour tho and you might ask why I’d come back after being in it well the answer is plain and simple that although it was a bad experience at the time it wasn’t all doom and gloom, The stories were engaging but my memories were much more interesting tho not for public airing, as they say what happens in Peterhead stays in Peterhead. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in learning about the history of the prison, only downside for me was I couldn’t get upstairs to see my old “Peter” but at least this time I could walk back out at my leisure, oh and give the wee Cafe a try if you’ve got time though not sure if they serve porridge...