Tomb of the Eagles Visitor Centre in Kirkwall

Unfortunately the gate was shut and there is a sign informing “permanently closed”

Sadly whilst we expected some form of "modifications", the whole whole experience is now permanently closed. Such a tough decision. I hope you have a rethink when things sort themselves out. When we can give it a five star review.

Genuinely, one of best museums I’ve been to. There are of course incredible collections of international significance, say the Louvre, or the British Museum. There is not another experience which quite connects you with our ancestors, in the way the Tomb of the Eagles does. It may the that handling of the ancient artefacts , or they way the guides explain how much care and tenderness was demonstrated in burying a young child. There is of course the walk and tomb itself, which roots the experience in today’s reality.I rarely post reviews ... this one is worth flying to Orkney for.

Neolithic chambered tomb that you can actually go inside if youre prepared to crawl on your hands and knees or scoot along on a little trolley. The actual tomb is about 20 minutes walk from the visitor centre. The visitor centre has an interesting talk about the tomb and how it was uncovered and the artefacts and remains found at the site.

The two ladies that do the talks before you leave the centre are so wonderful and informative and the tomb itself is beautiful with a fun skateboard ride on your belly to enter the tomb. Cliff views are excellent and if you are lucky you can be escorted by two fluffy tour guides.

The visitor centre offers two introductory interactive talks about the two sites (Bronze age and Neolithicon the premises. The guides are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. After the introduction, the sites can be accessed on foot via a scenic walk offering views of coastline cliffs. The Neolithic Tomb of the Eagles is located fairly close to the ocean and can be entered via a short crawlspace which is equipped with a trolley enabling easy access to most. Even if one does not enter the tomb the walk is worth it if the weather is good.

Well worth a visit. Not expensive and you get a good history talk and walk to the tomb. You will probably spend around at most 2 hrs to go around everything. The walk to the tomb is reasonably flat with some very good views, and getting into the tomb is a bit of fun as the doorway is quite small.

Fabulous place. Great museum section and the tomb was fab. Particularly loved the coastal walk worth the helpful little sounds telling you what each wild flower was along the way. Very good experience. Will worth a visit.

If you know you like this kind of history then you wont regret coming along to see this amazing experience going back in time.The experience starts with a small talk on the tomb itself with a show case of a multitude of artefacts found within the tomb and the surrounding area like tools, jewellery and human remains.There is also a brief talk on a bronze age site that was also uncovered. After the talks you can then walk out to meet the sites in person.The bronze age site comes first with the tomb of eagles right down at the sea.I loved it....

Very informative, interactive guides take you through various displays at the visitor centre before you go on a lovely walk to the two sites. Beautiful and kids loved it, especially the human skulls.

Despite the horrible weather we really enjoyed our visit. The small visitor centre is very informative and has a lot of interesting things to see. The people who run it are lovely. On a nice day the walk to the tomb would be lovely but we still enjoyed it! The clifftop walk back is stunning.

Fantastic hostorical site, with a great visitorscenter driven by very enthusiastic people. We had a great time there and shared a few laughs with the good people there.. The surroundings are absolutely stunning. I would recommend everybody visiting Orkney to go there.

Approx 25yrs since last visit, lovely to see the progress made to the centre. Lovely staff. Great views from the cliff walk. Really enjoyed the return visit to show my sister who was visiting from 🇺🇸. Thank you to all.

Exhibition very interesting with lots to absorb . Perhaps too much if not an archaeologist but talks helped focus on important items. Tomb interesting but you may prefer just to crawl in and not bother pulling self in on trolley. Have since been told we should have made time to go to Tomb of Otters next door.

I remember this place from my last visit over 20 years when the farmer was still alive and he used to show you round on his moped which also came out the Ark. It was much more rustic and authentic but times move on and it is still fascinating albeit more organised with a visitors centre and two very good talks on the tomb, stone age man and the bronze age site. We were also able to touch the artefacts which was excellent. Plenty of parking but can be busy so choose your times.

One has to admire the commitment of the family. The grandfather found the site, the father did a lot of the excavation and the current generation run the visitor centre with wonderful enthusiasm. Loved it!

Fascinating place, so many unanswered questions about life 4000 years ago

A fantastic family run attraction, dog friendly, novel way of entering the tomb. Seals in the sea on the scenic walk back.

Very interesting Historic site, but this is not an ideal day out with Kids (especially in October). There is a long walk from the Visitor centre to the Tomb itself, longer than the signs make you believe. The staff are very knowledgeable and engaging, and there are beautiful views in all directions.

Great detail about the history, living conditions, tools and ornaments worn by the people of this era. The guide was knowledgeable and her enthusiasm for her subject made it all the more enjoyable.The views are lovely and we watched 2 rock climbers scaling one of the cliffs adding excitement to the mix.Well worth a visit.

Friendly and informative talks, really enjoyed our visit - the tomb was fascinating and a real privilege to be able to see up close and explore, the views of the shore line are stunning also, you can tell where most of the settlement got their stone from!The bronze age site is also quite unique, its quite incredible to find out that we still have historic sites that were still finding out more about, it does make you wonder what else is buried in the area and just hasnt been discovered yet.It was great to be able to touch and feel alot of the found objects, really fascinating again quite humbling to hear how our ancestors lived and that we still dont know alot about them.Well worth the trip and paying for the talk - the site is a must see.

Very friendly and enthusiastic guides who described the site and the history of its discovery and some of the objects found there. The site is not fiercely marketed and makes you feel as though you really part of an experience and not just an observer. The walk along the cliffs is breathtaking (we saw a couple of seals). The site is primitive, but all the better for it, and everything is catered for, including knee pads, torches and dog poo bins. Absolutely not to be missed.

Good place to visit for 2 hours. They tell you a lot about the history of this island and put it in a perspective.I loved the entousiasm of the staff to learn you a lot about the culture.You can touch really old artifacts and that is special.I would recommend!

The staff at this archaeolical site managed to still be enthusiastic about the finds and information, even though they must tell the stories many times a day.The visitor centre contains many actual aetifacts and is well laid out to interpret what we know about very early human life. They also use imagination and artwork to give the visitor a chance to reflect on the spirituality of the people who took the considerable time and effort to make these tombs.And then there are the remains themselves, and the inspirational landscape they are set in.

Really interesting and a bit quirky. Pulling myself into the chamber on my back on a trolley (just like in The Great Escapewas an experience I wont forget.

Spectacular setting along the cliffs, fun entry ride on a wheeled trolley, replica relics as found in the cairn. The visitor center staff were fantastic, so knowledgeable and interesting. This visit gave us a lot to think about.

A nice hands-on explanation of the relics followed by a self-guided walk to the tomb itself, passing by the Bronze Age site and retuning via beautiful scenery.The local flowers are labelled in places too.The old woman there told us of living conditions when she was young, and how they were closer to the Bronze Age than the modern age.Really enjoyable visit with friendly people.

Fascinating tomb and burnt mound with many mysteries still unsolved.

Spectacular cliff top location. Care must be taken if young children are with you. Great on site museum with a chance to hold artifacts from the tomb. Plenty to see and do. Wet weather clothing and boots can be supplied if you dont have your own.

A worthwhile visit here with two young children. The visitor centre had three distinct rooms with talks given on different eras. Nice to get hands on with some of the artefacts as well.The actual tomb itself is a short walk away and manageable for young children.

We absolutely loved our visit to the Tomb of the Eagles. Lovely, friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff made our visit really enjoyable and informative. Visiting the tomb itself was very moving, and gave us an insight into life on Orkney, then and now.

Very friendly staff, possibility to touch 5000 year old artefacts, would recommended!

Dont be afraid to go inside. An opportunity too good to miss

Never been before. They have 2 talks about the 2 sites which was useful. Will need to walk to both sites. Over 1 mile there. However you can drive yr car to the site. Once inside you can stand up fully. There are touches inside the tomb to see inside the smaller rooms. Price was average. 2 ways to walk back. A longer way around the coast. Advise it can take a min of 1 to 2 hours from the talks to the sites and back again

One of the best sites in Britain. National Trust and (EnglishHeritage should come and take lessons from the people who run The Tomb of Eagles. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and gave insight into Orkney and the tomb that you wouldnt find in any book or from the sterile environment and bored staff found in the other historical tourist sites. Amazing and would definitely recommend.

Fantastic neolithic and bronze age sites, set amidst spectacular landscapes. The real highlight though, is the visitor centre. The staff were unfailingly polite, friendly and helpful. In addition, each of the rooms had a box of toys, allowing parents to actually take in the interpretations whilst kids were amusing themselves.

I visited the Tomb of the Eagles with a friend during a recent visit to Orkney. It was a last-minute decision to go there, but it turned out to be a real highlight of our holiday. The guides offer very interesting talks before you visit the actual tomb. This provides a great balance of listening, browsing the artefacts and information, and taking a pleasant walk to the tomb in your own time. Entry to the tomb is great fun, assisted by the pensioners skateboard to help you slide in! A very special mention for Marion Scott, who provided such insightful guidance and wise companionship. A big Thank You all round!

Its about a mile round trip walk from the visitor centre to the tomb which was breathtaking on the return leg via the cliff top walk. Very interesting and engaging talk beforehand too.

Great neolithic/archaeological experience; after the visitor centre, theres a hike to the cliffside; the tomb itself is entered via a small apperture where you pull yourself thru on a wee trolley type of affair

Great visitors centre with rotating talks explaining the finding and excavation of the tomb along with life in the neolithic period. There is a separate display relating to the burnt mound. If you have the time, there is a great study room. Then, of course, there is the tomb itself - a must see on any visit to Orkney.

The girls do talks in the two rooms and you stay till youve heard what they have to say. Basically they go round in a circle and so just leave when youve heard it all. Then walk to the tomb. Nice enough walk via the old ruins of a settlement. Theres an old German Ambulance come campervan there.The tomb is good, great to go in hands and knees or on the board. Free knee pads for use if required. Paths can be muddy. Coastal path back highly recommended. Part was closed due to nesting birds.

At first we werent sure if a trip to this tomb and museum is really worth the time and entrence fee, since we already saw a lot of neolithic and bronze age settlements, tombs and so on. But this one was quite different and thus a really great experience.The tomb itself was, thanks to its concrete ceiling, rather less charming and atmospheric compared to other tombs . Its the exhibition and the staff that makes the tomb of the eagles outstanding.We were welcomed and informed about the tomb and what to expect at the museum in our native langague (german), since an employees mother came from Germany and he heard us talking in german. Before getting on the short hike to the tomb and a nearby bronze age site, we got a lecture about the life, tools, meals, diseases and burying rites of this areas neolithic people. They had a lot of finds which were taken out of the glass showcases and could be touched and hold by us (except a few very fragile ones and the skulls, which I find very reasonable). A really stunning experience to hold a stone pestle which was used around 5.000 years ago!The museum is far from crowded - the presentation and lecture was made for only the two of us and 3 other visitors, at the tomb we were alone. The staff was very communicative and interested in how we liked everything, where we came from and so on - I even got hugged when finally saying goodbye :)

We visited the Tomb of the Eagles on the last day of October which was also the last day they were open this year. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Nice little visitor centre and after that a stroll along the coast to the tomb. Dont miss out on the seals in the bay!

Fascinating site to visit, the children loved it too. The explanations of both sites (the Neolithic tomb and the Iron Age water heating siteat the visitors center at the beginning were very interesting (and the bathrooms were spotless -- not a given in Scotland!), and the visit to the tomb itself was even better. To get in, you have to either crawl or slide through on your back on a plank with wheels, but once youre inside you can stand up straight. They left some skulls in one of the 3 compartments that contained all of the skulls. Very interesting, and the kids loved sliding through the small entrance.Its a bit of a walk from the visitors center to the first site and then to the tomb (they say 1.5 miles total, there and back, but I think its a little more...). But if you have trouble walking long distances, you can drive to the first site, leave the car there, and walk to the tomb and back (that walks about 1.5 km).Theres an entry fee, but unfortunately its not included in the Orkney Explorer pass (which is worth taking if you plan to visit at least 2-3 sites during your stay -- which you should!). Nevertheless, its worth the entry fee to see this!

Four of us visited the tomb in June 2016. The weather was glorious and the backdrop to this site absolutely stunning. The visitor centre is well laid out, the staff helpful and knowledgeable, and the little museum, with its neolithic treasures was a delight. We felt privileged to touch and hold items of such antiquity. This site is a fitting tribute to local farmer, Ronnie Simison, who discovered the tomb decades ago, then had the foresight to excavate it to the highest standards. We all loved the place and would recommend that visitors take time to stop and enjoy this piece of our ancient history.

A trip to Orkney is not complete without a trip to the wonderful family-run Tomb Of The Eagles with its astonishing Neolithic cairn and Bronze Age building.The visitors centre is modern, well-appointed and has a gift shop and toilets.The name refers to the presence of Sea Eagle claws amongst the deposits left by the community that used the cairn 5000 years ago.The presentation, delivered by the highly knowledgeable and very helpful staff, covers the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze eras.You can actually hold the Tomb of The Eagles finds in your hand during the presentation. I know of no other museum which allows this.Other cairns that you can visit have long since had the contents removed and either lost or put in a museum.The Tomb of The Eagles staff interpret the finds superbly. The family have worked closely with archaeologists over many years to ensure that the information given is as accurate as possible.The Tomb is as it was when Ronnie Simison expertly excavated it over 50 years ago, and you can go inside. If the weather is bad, you can even borrow waterproofs.The Tomb is situated overlooking spectacular cliffs and the birdwatching is excellent. The walk to and from the cairn takes you by a beach frequented by seals.If you read the excellent book Tomb Of The Eagles by John Hedges you will find out how important this cairn is to modern understanding of the Neolithic era - it is simply the best information available to us on British communities that existed 5000 years ago.Also at this site is a fantastically well preserved bronze age burnt mound which is a bronze age community building. Bronze Age buildings occur all over Britain, but ones in such good state of preservation as this are incredibly rare.If you want to learn about the prehistory of Britain then a visit to the Tomb of The Eagles is thoroughly recommended.

This was a brilliant experience. The talks were informative, the sites were amazing and the people running the visitor centre were friendly and helpful. The set up is very good for anybody as there is wet weather gear to borrow for those not prepared. I thoroughly enjoyed my morning.

A really interesting experience.It was really nice to see the museum and go over the history of the tomb and where it got its name before heading along some dangerous cliffs (no fences last time I wentto the tomb itself.The owners were lovely and really seemed to know a lot about the tombs history.Its one place that will remain in my memories! Really cool!

A great visit made all the more pleasant by the lovely( and well informedladies running the visitor centre, The artefacts were of real quality and you get to handle most of them. The tomb itself was fab with astonishing views plus the added bonus of seals and their pups in the cove nearby. A truly memorable experience and well worth the drive.

Absolutely brilliant place - quite eccentric compared with staid National Trust properties, but the family whose farm its on are enthusiastic and well-informed. Really good walk out to the tomb from the farmhouse (even on a rainy dayand highly atmospheric. Well worth the effort in getting there.