Mills Observatory - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

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About Mills Observatory

Mills Observatory was gifted to the people of Dundee in 1935 through a bequest from John Mills, who was a linen and twine manufacturer and a keen amateur scientist. It is the UK's only full-time public Observatory, and houses an impressive Victorian retracting telescope, a small planetarium and displays on the solar system, providing visitors with the chance to learn about constellations, planets and other jewels of the night sky.

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Attractions Near Mills Observatory

Balgay Park

Balgay Park

0.23km from Mills Observatory

Balgay Park and Necropolis are situated in the south-west of Dundee within easy reach of the town centre, and are confined by Balgay Hill which is 141 metres above sea level. On the north side of the hill below the observatory the footpaths are planted with Irish yew and the path bordered with a low iron rail. There is a canopy of mature woodland on Balgay Hill of beech, oak, and Scots pine.

Lochee Park

Lochee Park

0.25km from Mills Observatory

Lochee Park, part of Greater Balgay, was donated to the city in 1890 by Jute mill owners; the Cox Brothers. The park provides ample space for active recreation and sports, and is one of the venues for Dundee’s annual fireworks displays.

Cox's Stack

Cox's Stack

1.03km from Mills Observatory

Cox's Stack is an 85m high chimney in the Lochee area of the city and one of the remaining relics of Dundee's once buoyant jute industry. It was constructed in 1866 and formed part of the Cox Brothers' Camperdown Works, one of the largest jute factories of its time. Modelled on an Italian campanile, the Stack was designed by local architect James MacLaren.

Dundee Law

Dundee Law

1.52km from Mills Observatory

Dundee Law is a hill in the centre of Dundee, Scotland, and is the highest point in the city. The Law is what remains of a volcanic sill, which is the result of volcanic activity around 400 million years ago. With a large war memorial at its summit, it is the most prominent feature on the local skyline. Archaeological evidence of burials suggest that the Law may have been used by human settlers 3500 years ago. During the Iron Age it was the site of a Pictish settlement.

Tayside Medical History Museum

Tayside Medical History Museum

1.61km from Mills Observatory

The Tayside Medical History Museum holds one of the best medical collections in Scotland, which is displayed in both permanent and temporary displays in the University of Dundee Medical School at Ninewells Hospital. The collections of the Tayside Medical History Museum are among the finest in Scotland, showcasing the extraordinary history of pioneering medical research and practice in Dundee and the surrounding region.

Magdalen Green

Magdalen Green

1.7km from Mills Observatory

Magdalen Green has the distinction of being Dundee's oldest city park having been in use for some 400 years and has long been used for both meeting and recreational purposes. The place has been skilfully set out for recreation. Probably the original names was “Magdalen Gair”, meaning the garth or garden-ground of the Chapel; but this designation in time was corrupted into “Guard”, and latterly into “Magdalen Yard”, by which it is now known.

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Dundee

Dundee

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Dundee is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was 148,280, giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or 6,420/sq mi, the second-highest in Scotland. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea. Under the name of Dundee City, it forms one of the 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland.

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For more information about Mills Observatory, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mills_Observatory