The only full-time public observatory in Britain is the Mills Observatory in Dundee, Scotland. John Mills was a successful businessman in Victorian Dundee with an interest in astronomy. He bequeathed his money to build a public astronomical observatory in the city, for studying “the wonder and beauty of the works of God in creation.” The Mills Observatory was eventually opened in 1935.

Dundee is situated on the northern shore of the River Tay, in central Scotland. The Observatory stands on a wooded hill (an extinct volcano) near the center of the city. The trees shelter it from virtually all direct city light, while leaving an uninterrupted view south across the Firth of Tay. There is some scattered light, but in clear weather the sky can be surprisingly dark, and the Milky Way distinctly visible.