John Allan Broun FRS (21 September 1817 – 22 November 1879) was a Scottish scientist with interests in magnetism, particularly of the earth, and meteorology.

He continued his studies on geo-magnetism in India and was involved in setting up observatories there apart from managing the Napier Museum in Trivandrum.

Broun was born in Dumfries where his father ran a school training students intending to join the navy.

In 1842, there was an interest in magnetic observations and Thomas McDougall Brisbane established an observatory at his home in Makerstoun, in Scotland and when a director was sought, Forbes recommended Broun who worked there from 1842 to 1849.

[2] Broun observed large scale pressure changes across India between Shimla and Madras[3] and cyclic variation in magnetic declination.

He also built an observatory on Agastya Mala, the highest peak in Travancore, and helped to found the museum and zoological gardens.

Broun left India for good around 1865, living in Lausanne, Switzerland, and then Stuttgart, Germany, before arriving in London, England, in 1873.