Kinneil House will re-open free on Saturday 22 March – the first public opening of 2025 – together with additional free film-related activities for children in adjacent Kinneil Museum.
Historic Environment Scotland, supported by volunteers from the Friends of Kinneil, will be welcoming visitors to the house from 10am-4pm (closed for lunch 12.30-1pm). For this open day only, there is no need to book, and free admission, but no formal guided indoor tours – just turn up, wander inside and chat to staff and volunteers. Visitors will be able to see the re-imagined late mediaeval kitchen on the ground floor, the renowned 16th/17th-Century painted rooms on the first floor, as well as an exhibition about the Antonine Wall on the top floor of the house. Note that access to the upper floors is via the spiral stairway only – unfortunately there are no lifts.
There will, however, be a free volunteer-led outdoor guided walk, starting from the museum at 12.30pm (NB not at the usual time of 12 noon) – explore the wider history and historic features of Kinneil Estate. Among other things, hear the stories about James Watt’s secret development work at Kinneil in the 1760s, at the dawn of the age of steam which is being celebrated in a special film screening at Bo’ness railway station later that evening.
The adjacent Kinneil Museum will also be open free. From 11am-3pm, bring the kids to come and make ‘mini film strips’ and to ‘design your own tartan’ – free activities provided by the Friends volunteers, inspired by the silent film era and by this year’s Gala Night movie, ‘The Pride of the Clan’! All ages welcome – whether for the house, museum, or outdoor walk.
This open day is being held in support of the Silent Film Festival week at the historic Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness.
A fortnight later, on Saturday 5 April, Kinneil House will re-open for its new season of ticketed indoor guided tours, which will once again be available almost every Saturday until the end of September. Details and booking pages for these future 2025 house openings can be found at Historic Environment Scotland’s web page for Kinneil House.
Kinneil 
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