ANDREW BATCHELOR: Dundee Museum of Transport’s move to Maryfield is the city’s next ‘V&A moment’

The current state of Maryfield - but that is all about to change this year!

Dundee has been here before. A moment where a decision, backed by belief and persistence, quietly changes how the city sees itself and how others see it too.

For me, the Dundee Museum of Transport’s confirmed move to Maryfield in spring 2027 feels exactly like that - the next V&A moment for Dundee.

When V&A Dundee arrived, it did more than add a landmark building to the waterfront. It gave Dundee confidence. It showed that the city could deliver ambitious cultural projects at a national and international level.

While the Eden Project Dundee remains hugely exciting, it has taken longer than many hoped. The Maryfield move lands at the perfect time. It is ambitious, it is funded, and it is real.

Market Mews has been a real gem

The Dundee Museum of Transport has already achieved something remarkable from its temporary home at Market Mews.

Since 2014, that site has allowed the museum to grow, find its audience, and earn a reputation as one of Dundee’s best-loved attractions.

Market Mews will be sorely missed, but it did exactly what it needed to do. It got the museum on the stage and proved its value to the city.

Maryfield is about taking everything to the next level. The former tram depot is not just a bigger building, it is a better fit. It connects directly to Dundee’s transport and industrial story and offers the space needed for proper exhibitions, education programmes, events, and future growth.

With redevelopment planned in stages, the museum can evolve over time rather than stand still.

What makes this move especially powerful is what it means for Dundee as a whole. Culturally, it strengthens the city’s offer.

Dundee is known for design, creativity, and innovation, but transport and engineering are just as central to its identity.

Trams, buses, ships, industry, and manufacturing shaped the city. Giving that story a permanent home makes Dundee’s cultural landscape richer and more complete.

Economically, the impact should not be underestimated. A larger, more ambitious museum brings more visitors, encourages longer stays, and creates repeat visits.

That means footfall for local businesses, more reasons for people to explore different parts of the city, and another strong cultural anchor alongside Dundee’s existing attractions.

Cultural investment helps Dundee compete

Cultural investment like this helps Dundee compete nationally as a destination, not just for day trips but for longer cultural breaks.

Maryfield also has the potential to act as a catalyst for wider regeneration. Cultural institutions often change places quietly.

They bring people in, create activity, and alter how an area feels. Over time, that can attract further investment and new uses that benefit the surrounding community.

Maryfield has long been talked about as an area with huge potential, and the museum could be the spark that helps unlock it.

The educational opportunity here is enormous too. Being located beside Morgan Academy opens the door to hands-on learning, skills development, and real-world engagement with engineering, design, and heritage.

That kind of access can shape futures, support skills Dundee’s economy relies on, and turn the museum into a living classroom rather than just a place to visit.

On a personal level, overseeing the marketing for the museum makes this moment even more exciting. The progress made in just the last few months has been incredible, and there is a real sense of momentum building.

This no longer feels like a distant ambition. It feels like a museum stepping confidently into its future.

A huge credit must go to the board of the Dundee Museum of Transport for their persistence over nearly a decade, and to the incredible volunteers who have given so much of their time and energy to get the museum to this point.

Without that belief and commitment, none of this happens. With the backing of Dundee City Council now secured, the path ahead finally feels clear.

For all of these reasons, this move matters. The new Dundee Museum of Transport has the formula to become the best museum in the city and one of the best in Scotland.

The move to Maryfield is a statement of confidence in Dundee’s culture, its economy, and its future.