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Dundee

Oor Wullie Statue

A bronze Oor Wullie on a wall outside the McManus in Dundee, aiming his pea shooter at Robert Burns.

Welcome

Oor Wullie, the spiky-haired, dungaree-clad boy of the Sunday Post comic strip, sits in bronze on the wall outside the McManus art gallery in the middle of Dundee, the city where the paper is published.

He takes aim with his pea shooter at the statue of Robert Burns across the way, looking just as cheeky as he has since he first appeared in 1936.

The statue, by the Scottish artist Malcolm Robertson, was made for the character's 80th anniversary. Look closely at the wall behind him and you will find bronze copies of his satchel, with his pet mouse Jeemy, his catapult and a bag of peas to reload. Beside him stands a life-size bronze of his famous upturned bucket, so that you can sit down beside him for a photograph. It is a favourite with Dundonians and with anyone who grew up reading the comic, and the McManus itself is right behind him.

Close byBird & BearA bar and restaurant on Whitehall Crescent by Slessor Gardens, with copper-topped bars, cocktails, brunch and a beer garden.2 min by roadSee itSandstone tenement building with green-fronted corner pub below
Before you go

In the open outside the McManus, Albert Square; any time, free.

Open
Any time; free.
Where
Outside the McManus, Albert Square.
Where it is

Albert Square, Dundee.

Close byIn Dundee.
  1. A plate of food at the Bach, Dundee.The BachA New Zealand-run brunch café in Albert Square, Dundee, cooking over fire, with good coffee and Scottish craft beer.Under a mile1 min by road
  2. Gravestones and an obelisk monument among trees beside sandstone buildingsThe HowffDundee's old town graveyard on Meadowside, gifted by Mary, Queen of Scots in 1564, crowded with carved stones.Under a mile1 min by road
  3. The McManus Art Gallery and MuseumThe McManus Art Gallery and MuseumWith a collection spanning 400 million years, the McManus Art Gallery & Museum celebrates the history, culture and art of Dundee and its local creatives.Under a mile1 min by road
  4. Twin curved staircases lead to a Gothic revival building with a spired towerMcManusIf you want to discover more about Dundee’s history, there’s nowhere better than the McManus.Under a mile1 min by road
  5. Desperate Dan statue with Minnie the Minx figures in Dundee city squareThe Desperate Dan & Minnie the Minx StatuesBronze statues of Desperate Dan, his dog Dawg and Minnie the Minx on Dundee's High Street, home of the Dandy and the Beano.Under a mile2 min by road
Directions
Sandstone tenement building with green-fronted corner pub belowRestaurantsBird & Bear0.7 miles
Wooden shelves display rows of spectacles beneath vintage cameras on topShoppingLand O'Spex0.7 miles
A sandstone building carries a sign reading 'Verdant Works' on a dark green gate, seen through overhanging tree branches beside a cobbled lane.AttractionsVerdant Works0.7 miles
Fisher and Donaldson's pink shopfront with chocolaterie and patisserie signs.AttractionsFisher & Donaldson, Dundee0.8 miles
Wee Mexico takeaway with blue doors beneath a pink bay-window townhouseRestaurantsWee Mexico0.8 miles
A building lettered "DCA, Dundee Contemporary Arts" displays a colourful abstract mural beside its glazed entrance, a sign listing galleries, cinema and cafe bar.AttractionsDundee Contemporary Arts0.8 miles
Paintings and ceramics on display inside Gallery Q, Dundee.AttractionsGallery Q0.8 miles
Duck leg with a rich sauce at Daisy Tasker.RestaurantsDaisy Tasker0.8 miles
The tiered, ribbed concrete walls of a modern museum building curve toward a domed glasshouse and a ship's mast visible along the waterfront.AttractionsV&A Dundee0.8 miles
Stay nearby

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

The black timber cabin's exterior, with a chimney above the roofline and a freestanding bath standing on the decking below.Airdit
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Dundee
  • 6 miles from Oor Wullie
Free 25–27 OctGuests raise wine glasses at a long candlelit table in a stone barnGuardswell Farm
  • Sleeps 10
  • In Inchture
  • 10 miles from Oor Wullie
Check datesThe long timber-clad side of the house runs under a slate roof with solar panels, white chairs on the terrace and a clear blue sky.The Glasshouse
  • Sleeps 6
  • In Dundee
  • 12 miles from Oor Wullie
Free 19–22 OctTwo arched glazed doors in a stone wall open onto a paved patio, a rattan table with daffodils and mugs to the right.The Arches
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Dundee
  • 12 miles from Oor Wullie
Free 30 Oct – 1 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in DundeeAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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