Monday June 8th 2026
Mary Queen Of Scots House, Jedburgh
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
The Mary Queen of Scots’ Visitor Centre in Jedburgh is the Scottish Borders most popular museum attraction, a new report reveals.
In 2025/26 a total of 26,454 people visited the centre, according a new report from cultural and sports provider Live Borders.
The second most popular attraction is also in Jedburgh – the town’s Castle & Jail Museum, which attracted 21,661 visitors over the last year.
Next up is the Great Tapestry of Scotland museum in Galashiels, visited by 20,962 – a reduction from 22,413 in the previous year, representing a six per cent fall.
Catriona McAllister, Live Borders chief executive, said the Galashiels complex, which opened in 2021, was performing similarly to other attractions in the region.
She said: “The Great Tapestry of Scotland’s visitor numbers remain broadly in line with tourism trends across the Scottish Borders.
“While the sector continues to navigate economic pressures and changing visitor behaviours, the Great Tapestry of Scotland is still one of the region’s most popular visitor attractions.
“Looking ahead, we have a number of exciting plans and new opportunities in development that will further enhance the visitor experience at the centre, and we look forward to sharing more details soon.”
In March, Live Borders secured £92,000 through the Museum Futures Programme to develop a series of new visitor experiences at Jedburgh Castle Jail & Museum.
This funding will support the creation of an interactive escape room and costumed, story-led tours.
The plan is to have all of this in place from August this year.
A Live Borders spokesperson said: “Designing optional paid-for experiences such as the escape room, alongside the museum’s free general admission will enhance the visitor offer and help with financial sustainability.”
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