Beside Arbroath harbour, the Signal Tower Museum tells the story of the Bell Rock Lighthouse and the town’s fishing and maritime past. It occupies the former shore station, built in 1813 to support the lighthouse eleven miles offshore. Models and exhibits explain how the lighthouse was built and what life was like for its keepers and their families. Entry and parking are free, so it makes an easy stop before or after a walk along the harbour.
A shore station for Bell Rock
The Signal Tower Museum occupies the former shore station for the Bell Rock Lighthouse, built in 1813 beside Arbroath harbour. The lighthouse stands eleven miles offshore. From this building, shore staff supported its operation, and the keepers’ families had a home on land while the lighthouse keepers worked at sea.
The station remained in service for the lighthouse until 1955. Its role is part of the story told inside: the building was not simply a place to watch the coast, but a working link between the town and the lighthouse. It became a museum in 1974.
Building and tending the lighthouse
Exhibits explain the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse, designed by Robert Stevenson, and the practical work involved in running it. Models help show how the lighthouse was built. Displays also introduce the lives of the keepers and their families, giving the engineering story a human dimension.
A red copper ball mechanism on top of the Signal Tower was used to send signals to the lighthouse, helping confirm that the keepers were safe. The museum’s material connects this system with the wider work carried out from the shore station.
Arbroath’s maritime past
The museum also covers the fishing and maritime industries that shaped Arbroath, along with aspects of the town’s industrial history. Displays include the local fishing story and the Arbroath Smokie. Together, these exhibits place the lighthouse within a broader account of the town’s relationship with the sea.
Set at the harbour entrance, the tower is a useful stop for understanding the waterfront as well as a museum visit in its own right. Parking is free, and admission is free. If you are interested in seeing the upper part of the tower, ask in advance about guided tours and access; opportunities to climb and look out from above are not established as part of every visit.
Perguntas frequentes
Is entry to the Signal Tower Museum free?
Yes. Admission is free.
Where is the Signal Tower Museum?
It is beside Arbroath harbour, at the former shore station for the Bell Rock Lighthouse.
What can you see at the museum?
Exhibits cover the Bell Rock Lighthouse, its construction and keepers, as well as Arbroath’s fishing and maritime history.
Can you go to the top of the Signal Tower?
Access may be available as part of a guided tour. Contact the museum ahead of your visit to ask about arrangements.
