Dundee’s got plenty of bragging rights, but this one’s properly special: RRS Discovery the ship that carried Captain Scott and crew towards the Antarctic was launched right here at the city’s docks on 21 March 1901.
And in March 2026, Dundee Heritage Trust is marking the ship’s 125th anniversary with a set of celebrations at Discovery Point / Discovery Quay that are part history, part hands-on, and (if you’re brave enough) part “how are my legs already shaking?”
The headline event: the Discovery Mast Climb (yes, really)
On Saturday 21 March 2026, 24 “daring explorers” will become the first members of the public to take on the brand-new Discovery Mast Climb.
This isn’t just a wee wander up a staircase either it’s a proper climb experience, launched last year by Dundee Heritage Trust patrons Lorraine Kelly and Dan Snow. And to make the day feel even more like a proper milestone, it includes a Captain’s Toast in the wardroom aboard RRS Discovery with:
- Ali Gellatly, Director at Dundee Heritage Trust
- Stewart MacKay, Captain of RRS Discovery in 2012
Tickets for the Mast Climb + Captain’s Toast go on sale via the trust’s website this Saturday. (Source: The Courier, Ben MacDonald, 20 Feb 2026.)
More climbs, bigger impact
After the first public climb, a series of charity climbs will follow raising funds for Dundee Heritage Trust and the ongoing care and operation of RRS Discovery.
As Development Manager Catriona Yates put it, the trust is grateful to the adventurous folk taking part and fundraising, because it helps them “spark curiosity” for visitors and keep the Discovery story moving forward.
A new mini-exhibition with rarely seen expedition artefacts
If climbing a mast isn’t your idea of a relaxing Saturday (fair enough), there’s also a brand-new mini-exhibition inside Discovery Point, showcasing lesser-seen artefacts linked to the 1901 expedition.
Highlights include:
- A hand-drawn map of the winter quarters by David Allen (a petty officer on the expedition)
- The toolbox of stoker Frank Plumley
- A scrapbook from geologist Hartley Ferrar
- The handwritten diary of stoker Thomas Whitfield
The mini-exhibition will be running until March 2027, so there’s plenty of time to catch it but the anniversary month is a perfect excuse to go.
A fresh anniversary logo with proper Dundee pride
To mark the occasion, Dundee-based graphic designer Alastair Walker has created a commemorative 125th anniversary logo, inspired by the crest of the British National Antarctic Expedition a nod to the original expedition imagery and Dundee’s role in the story.
He described moving to Dundee in 2021 as bringing his own “sense of discovery” and said it felt special to design something that links back to the ship’s first Antarctic expedition.
Big family ticket deal on the day
On Saturday 21 March, families can save over 60% on admission to Discovery Point and RRS Discovery, with a £12.50 family ticket covering two adults and up to three children.
No pre-booking required it’s a “turn up and get stuck in” kind of deal.
Why this anniversary matters right now
This milestone lands at an important time: Dundee Heritage Trust has begun a second phase of conservation works on RRS Discovery, expected to cost over £2 million. Anniversary events like these aren’t just a birthday party they help keep one of Dundee’s most iconic pieces of living history shipshape for the next generation.
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