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Old Gala House in Galashiels, a stone mansion with crow-stepped gables above a formal garden and fountain.
Scottish Borders

Old Gala House

The 16th-century home of the Lairds of Galashiels, now a free museum and gallery with a painted ceiling of 1635 and gardens.

Welcome

In the middle of Galashiels, Old Gala House was for centuries the home of the Lairds of Galashiels.

The house was built in 1583 and grew over the years, and today it is a free museum and gallery telling the story of the town and its people.

The finest room has a painted timber ceiling dating from 1635, and the galleries hold local heritage collections alongside changing exhibitions of contemporary art. Outside, volunteers keep lovely gardens with flower beds, water features and places to picnic.

Old Gala House opens through the summer, from June to the end of September, from Monday to Saturday, and there is a stairlift to the first floor. The house sits in the middle of the town, close to its shops.

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Before you go

Open in summer, Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm; free.

The 2026 season ran from 13 June to 30 September, and the house is closed through the winter.

Where
Scott Crescent, Galashiels, TD1 3JS.
Built
1583.
Painted ceiling
1635.

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Where it is

On Scott Crescent in Galashiels, TD1 3JS, with limited free parking.

Close byGalashiels.
  1. The Great Tapestry of Scotland's modern pale stone gallery with a zigzag roofline on a sunny street corner in Galashiels.The Great Tapestry of ScotlandScotland's story stitched in wool.Under a mile as the crow flies
  2. Abbotsford, Home of Sir Walter ScottAbbotsford, Home of Sir Walter ScottScott's house by the Tweed.2 miles 6 min by road
  3. The white lattice deck of the Chain Bridge hanging across the River Tweed from its stone tower, with a heron in the shallows below.The Chain BridgeA chain suspension footbridge of 1826 over the Tweed between Melrose and the village of Gattonside.4 miles as the crow flies
  4. Inside the Trimontium Museum: Roman cavalry armour, helmets, a painted shield and a silver face-mask helmet in dark cases lit red.Trimontium MuseumA museum on Melrose's Market Square telling the story of Trimontium, the Roman fort a mile and a half east at Newstead.4 miles as the crow flies
  5. Apple trees in blossom in the orchard at Priorwood Garden, with the red stone ruin of Melrose Abbey beyond the wall.Priorwood GardenA walled garden in the ancient precinct of Melrose Abbey, cared for by the National Trust for Scotland.4 miles as the crow flies
  6. Melrose AbbeyMelrose AbbeyThe great abbey at Melrose.4 miles 10 min by road
Directions
Gravel path between flowerbeds leads to a wooden door in a stone wallAttractionsHarmony Garden4.0 miles
Whitewashed dining room with black chairs, wine racks and pendant lightsRestaurantsThe Hoebridge4.1 miles
The red and cream shopfront of Cameron's on Selkirk's High Street, its sign reading Camerons Oven Fresh Bakery, with Selkirk's Home Bakery painted on the window.CafeCameron's Bakery4.7 miles
Burts Hotel in Melrose, a white-painted 18th-century inn with black window surrounds and red window boxes.RestaurantsBurts Hotel4.7 miles
Sir Walter Scott's Courtroom on Selkirk's Market Place on a sunny day: the old town hall with its clock tower and tall spire, and Scott's statue on a plinth in front.AttractionsSir Walter Scott's Courtroom4.8 miles
The Haining across its loch on a bright day, the Georgian house and an arcaded range beside it mirrored in the still water among tall trees.AttractionsThe Haining5.0 miles
The Rhymer's Stone, a small upright memorial stone on a cobbled base in front of bushes.AttractionsRhymer’s Stone5.1 miles
The Waterwheel Cafe's covered timber veranda at Philiphaugh, with folding tables and chairs along the deck and the cafe's glazed doors on the right.CafeThe Waterwheel Cafe5.6 miles
Modern entrance with vertical "Lochcarron" lettering beside a stone church buildingAttractionsLochcarron Visitor Centre5.6 miles

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Stay nearby

Places to stay near the house, and when each is next free.

A grey stone farmhouse with several chimneys stands against rolling hills, a wildflower meadow in the foreground.The Scullery
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Yarrow
  • 11 miles from Old Gala House
Free 13–15 NovThe House in the Hill at dusk, its turf roof over walls of local stone and glass, a bedroom lit inside and the hot tub at the corner.The House in the Hill
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Jedburgh
  • 18 miles from Old Gala House
Free 31 Oct – 2 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in the Scottish BordersAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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