Events
What’s on at Ellisland Museum & Farm
Upcoming Events
June 2026
1st June – Ellisland Wildlife Watch
Download the iNaturalist app, visit Ellisland and take a walk in nature – spotting and recording wildlife as you go!
From butterflies and bees to birds and hares, Ellisland is home to a wealth of bugs, beasties and creatures. Throughout the month of June, visitors are invited to take a walk through our grounds, download the iNaturalist app and spot, record and share your findings!
Free iNaturalist guides are available to pick up throughout the month of June in the Granary Reception of Ellisland Museum & Farm. Plan a visit to Ellisland, step outside and help us to track our biodiversity!
More information about the iNaturalist app can be found by following this link: iRecord and iNaturalistUK | iRecord
3rd June – Ellisland for Educators
Education professionals in D&G are invited to explore Ellisland Museum & Farm to uncover the learning potential it contains.
Are you a teacher or educator working in Dumfries & Galloway?
Are you interested in using local heritage and culture to create learning experiences in and out of the classroom?
The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust is inviting education professionals from across the region to attend a workshop at Ellisland Museum & Farm, where they will be given the opportunity to explore the museum and its collections to uncover the learning potential contained within them.
10th June – Species from the Wild: Sound, Species and Spectographs
Discover how scientists use sound recording and spectrogram technology to study biodiversity and monitor wildlife in the River Nith.
Join Species On The Edge project officer Liam Templeton as we explore the ultrasonic vocabulary of bats. We will use cutting-edge analysis software to make the inaudible audible and the invisible visible. In response to the seldom-heard whispers of our winged friends of the night, you will be invited to take part in a creative mark-making exercise to interpret meaning from the chatter. As the sun settles over Ellisland, we will step out into the dusk equipped with bat detectors in the hopes of observing different species as they flutter overhead.
This event is FREE but you booking is required.
13th June – Cup o’ kindness Coffee Morning for New Volunteers
Ellisland needs volunteers to support the museum this upcoming summer season. Come along to find our how you can get involved!
Ellisland Museum & Farm needs volunteers to support its varied programme of events and activities this summer. Can you help?
Whether you are able to give a few hours a week regularly or only have a couple of hours spare a month, there are a variety of ways new volunteers at Ellisland Museum & Farm can play their part in keeping this special heritage site alive.
17th June – Of Mice and Mountain Daisies: Burns and Nature Workshop
Join us at Ellisland Museum & Farm on Wednesday 17 June from 2 -4pm, for Of Mice and Mountain Daisies: Burns and Nature, a fascinating workshop exploring Robert Burns’s deep connection to the natural world through his life and poetry.
Led by acclaimed authors and historians Neil Baxter and Mary Craig, this special event will examine how Burns experienced nature not simply as an observer, but as a poet whose daily life at Ellisland was shaped by the land, the River Nith and the rhythms of rural life.
Refreshments will be provided.
Booking required. Tickets by donation.
24th June – Ellisland Through the Trees: A Woodland Walk Through Time
Step into the woodlands of Ellisland Farm for a guided walk that brings together past and present. Led by expert woodland manager Andrew Brown, this walk explores how the site’s trees and landscapes have changed over time—and what they can tell us about Ellisland’s history today.
As you move through the woods, you’ll hear about the history of Ellisland, how the land has been managed from the time of Burns and beyond, and the role the woodland plays now in supporting wildlife, heritage, and future sustainability.
Refreshments will be provided.
Booking is essential. Tickets by donation.
July 2026
2nd July – Summer Holidays at Ellisland: Silhouette Making
Step into history and get creative this summer at Ellisland Museum & Farm!
Our Summer Holiday Heritage Arts & Crafts Sessions offer children and families the opportunity to explore local heritage through hands-on creative activities inspired by the people, stories, nature, and rural life of Ellisland. Set within the beautiful historic surroundings of Burns’ farm and museum, each session combines learning, creativity, and fun!
Suitable for:
- Children and families
- Ages 4+
- No previous crafting experience required
Booking recommended.
4th July – Ye Jacobites at Ellisland!
Step back into the world of the Jacobites at Ellisland Museum & Farm on Saturday 4th July for a fun-filled family day of history and hands-on activities.
Led by an educational historian, this interactive event invites children and families to discover the stories, symbols and traditions of the Jacobite era through authentic costumes, historical equipment and exciting activities. Young visitors can explore what life was like during the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie while learning about the Jacobite themes and influences woven through Robert Burns’s poetry and songs.
With opportunities to dress up, handle replica objects and take part in lively historical activities, this is a perfect chance for children to experience Scotland’s past in the inspiring surroundings of Ellisland — the home of Scotland’s national bard.
5th July – ‘A Jacobite by Name?’: Jacobitism in the Life and Work of Robert Burns
Join us on Sunday 5 July, 2–3pm, for ‘A Jacobite By Name?’: Jacobitism in the Life and Work of Robert Burns, a fascinating talk delivered by Patrick Jamieson, PhD scholar at the University of Glasgow, exploring how ideas of identity, naming and political memory shaped Burns’s engagement with Jacobitism throughout his life and writing.
Refreshments will be provided.
Booking essential. Tickets by donation.
9th July – Summer Holidays at Ellisland: Quill Writing
Step into history and get creative this summer at Ellisland Museum & Farm!
Our Summer Holiday Heritage Arts & Crafts Sessions offer children and families the opportunity to explore local heritage through hands-on creative activities inspired by the people, stories, nature, and rural life of Ellisland. Set within the beautiful historic surroundings of Burns’ farm and museum, each session combines learning, creativity, and fun!
Suitable for:
- Children and families
- Ages 4+
- No previous crafting experience required
Booking recommended.
16th July – Summer Holidays at Ellisland: Embroidery
Step into history and get creative this summer at Ellisland Museum & Farm!
Our Summer Holiday Heritage Arts & Crafts Sessions offer children and families the opportunity to explore local heritage through hands-on creative activities inspired by the people, stories, nature, and rural life of Ellisland. Set within the beautiful historic surroundings of Burns’ farm and museum, each session combines learning, creativity, and fun!
Suitable for:
- Children and families
- Ages 4+
- No previous crafting experience required
Booking recommended.
16th July – Pinocchio at Robert Burns Ellisland Farm
Carlo Collodi’s classic is a perennial favourite. It is the third most translated book in the world, having appeared in no fewer than 260 languages since it was published in 1883, and has never been out of print. Childless toymaker Geppetto buys a piece of wood to make a puppet – little realising the chaos he is about to unleash. The puppet yearns for adventure and runs away, but instead of excitement only finds glorious attractions containing hidden dangers. He returns home hoping to be showered with sympathy and learns his tribulations are just beginning. Running away hasn’t worked; lying won’t work; he must become a real boy to achieve the belonging he craves.
Collodi describes the development from puppet to real boy in the same way that useless green timber is matured into useful well-seasoned wood – a transformation only achieved through trials of water and fire.
Illyria celebrates this magical coming-of-age tale in a thrilling musical outdoor show.
18th July – NithLife Summer Evening Event at Ellisland
Join NithLife for a wildlife-packed evening at Ellisland Farm which will include:
- Looking for bats, moths, owls and other night-time activities
- Fly Tying demonstrations
- Poetry and storytelling
- Open Stage Session
Attendees can enjoy an evening walk along the River Nith and take in Ellisland’s beautiful surroundings as evening turns to night.
This event is ticketed by NithLife.
30th July – Summer Holidays at Ellisland: Print Making
Step into history and get creative this summer at Ellisland Museum & Farm!
Our Summer Holiday Heritage Arts & Crafts Sessions offer children and families the opportunity to explore local heritage through hands-on creative activities inspired by the people, stories, nature, and rural life of Ellisland. Set within the beautiful historic surroundings of Burns’ farm and museum, each session combines learning, creativity, and fun!
Suitable for:
- Children and families
- Ages 4+
- No previous crafting experience required
Booking recommended.
August 2026
1st August – Burns Summer Celebration
Join us on Saturday 1st August for a special Burns Summer Celebration at Ellisland Museum & Farm, as we mark the 230th anniversary of the death of Robert Burns.
Event Highlights
- Large family ceilidh with live music and dancing
- Fun games and activities for all ages
- Raffle with exciting prizes
- Refreshments available
Whether you’re a Burns enthusiast, a keen dancer, or simply looking for a fun family day out, we’d love to welcome you to Ellisland for this special anniversary celebration.
Book your tickets now and join the festivities!
4th August – Burns and the Scottish Enlightenment: Reflections on the 250th Anniversary of America
As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, join writer, Global Scot and Ellisland trustee Ian Houston for a thought-provoking exploration of the connections between Robert Burns, the Scottish Enlightenment, and the birth of modern Americ
Following the presentation, guests will have the opportunity to take part in an informal discussion exploring Burns’s continuing international legacy.
Refreshments will be provided.
Booking required. Tickets by donation.
15th August – Be a part of Nithraid 2026
Represent your local community and its spot on or near the River Nith at Ellisland and march in the procession this August!
Do you live in a community near Ellisland Museum & Farm?
Ellisland is working with NithRaid to bring together a group from our local community to celebrate the River Nith. Working with local nature scientists and artists, participants will create a piece of art that will be brought along to Nithraid as part of the main procession. This could be a banner, costumer or anything to add to the fun and spectacle of the procession while also representing the River Nith at Ellisland and its surrounding local community. This project will run at various points elsewhere along the River, including in New Cumnock, Kirkconnel, Thornhill, Moniaive and Kingholm Quay – so sign up and get involved in some creative fun and represent your local community this August!
