When
Six days a week, late on Thursdays.
- Tuesday to Sunday
- 10:00–17:00
- Thursday
- 10:00–20:00
- Monday
- Closed
- Closed
- 24–26 December, 1 January
Last entry 30 minutes before closing.
Tay Glasshouse · Riverside Drive, Dundee
Free, by the Tay,
from 14 November.
WHORL runs from 14 November 2026 to 18 April 2027. No booking for individuals: walk in, stay as long as you like.
Where
On Riverside Drive, by the Tay.
Tay Glasshouse
Riverside Drive, Dundee DD2 1UH
Follow the river path west from the city centre; the Glasshouse is the long glass building on the water side of the road.
Admission
Free for everyone.
No tickets and no booking for individuals and families. Groups of ten or more and schools, please write to us first so the handling table is free.
Access
Step-free throughout.
Step-free from the river path. The handling table is at wheelchair height. Seats in every room.
Every shell has its label in large print at the desk.
What's on
A table of shells,
a class, a late night.
Daily, 11:00–15:00
Handling table
Hold a periwinkle, a whelk and a king scallop and count their turns with a volunteer.
Saturdays, 14:00, 90 minutes
Drawing the spiral
Draw a growth spiral with a ruler and a protractor: each radius is 1.1 times the last. Ages 10 and up, 12 places, sign up at the desk on the day.
First Thursday of the month, 18:00–20:00
Late Thursday
The rooms stay open late, with a 20-minute talk at 18:30. December's talk: why nine in ten snails coil to the right.
Tuesday to Friday mornings
Schools
A 45-minute session at the handling table and the model for classes of up to 30. Book by email.
Bring a shell
Found one on the beach?
Bring it along.
At the handling table a volunteer will count its turns with you and find where it sits among the four numbers.