Oor Wullie and his Bucket, Dundee, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

Oor Wullie and his Bucket is a bronze statue of the much-loved Scottish comic strip boy, sitting on his upturned bucket in Albert Square in the centre of Dundee. Oor Wullie was created in Dundee, so the statue honours a hometown character who became a national favourite. It is free to see at any time and makes an easy, cheerful stop in the city centre.

The story behind it

Oor Wullie first appeared in The Sunday Post in 1936. The newspaper was published by the Dundee firm DC Thomson, and the early strips were drawn by the artist Dudley D. Watkins. Wullie is a mischievous schoolboy with spiky hair, dungarees and hobnailed boots, and his adventures usually start and end on his trusty bucket.

The strip is written in Scots, and its title means Our Wullie. It has run for generations and still appears in annual books, which is why many Scots feel they grew up with him. Dundee has long been known for its comics and publishing, and statues of its comic characters are now part of the street scene in the city centre.

What to look for

• Wullie's pose: he sits on his bucket in his usual cheeky, relaxed way, which makes him an obvious photo subject.
• The details of his outfit, including the dungarees, the boots and the spiky hair that readers will know from the strip.
• The setting of Albert Square, where the statue stands close to the McManus, Dundee's grand Victorian museum and art gallery.
• The bucket itself, a simple everyday object that has become the trademark of the character.

Tips for your visit

• You only need ten minutes or so for the statue and a photo, but allow longer if you want to explore Albert Square and the McManus beside it.
• The statue stands outdoors in a public square, so you can visit at any time. Daylight gives the best pictures and fewer people are around early in the day.
• The McManus is next door. Check current opening hours before you plan to go inside.
• The city centre is compact and walkable, so Wullie combines easily with other stops on foot, including Dundee's other comic character statues.

See it on a quest

You can reach Oor Wullie on foot as one stop on Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Dundee, a self-guided walk through the city played on your phone. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look at the statue and the square more closely than you would on a quick photo stop. There is no guide and no group to join, and you can start whenever you like. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.