Museums & Exhibitions

A number of museums and libraries have special exhibitions for HAF. Details and opening hours of museums open during the festival can be found by clicking here.

Special Exhibitions during Highland Archaeology Festival

Note that some have entrance fees; these are marked with a £ symbol below. If you are coming from a distance, phone to ensure opening hours. After each title, there is a code for the region: AR = Argyll, B&S = Badenoch & Strathspey, CA = Caithness, IN = Inverness & area, LO = Lochaber, MO = Moray, NA = Nairn, RC = Ross & Cromarty, SL = Skye & Lochalsh, SU = Sutherland

E93 - Kids Archaeology Trail at Elgin Museum [MO]

Over HAF follow the trail around the Museum to find out about how archaeologists work and discover more about our archaeological collections.

Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 11am-4pm

Wheelchair access. Special activity for children

Elgin Museum. Phone 01343 543675
Email elginmuseumlearning@gmail.com

www.elginmuseum.org.uk

D1 - Our Canadian Cousins [BS]

A captivating insight into the intrepid and pioneering Highlanders who shaped the making of Canada.

Stories of emigration, exploration and exploitation. Adults £4, children under 16 free. Wheelchair access.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm

Grantown Museum. Phone 01479 872478

Email info@grantownmuseum.co.uk

www.grantownmuseum.co.uk

D2 - The Late Iron Age Settlement at Wag of Forse [CA]

Artefacts and photographs from the 1940's excavations will be on show. Adults £3, children and local residents free. Wheelchair access.

Mon & Fri: 10am-4pm. Wed: 1pm-6pm

Dunbeath Heritage Museum. Phone 01593 731233

Email info@dunbeath-heritage.org.uk

www.dunbeath-heritage.org.uk

D3 - The Campaign for Women’s Suffrage in Caithness [CA]

A display showing the results of a WEA/ARCH project investigating women’s suffrage in Caithness. Venue: Nucleus (Wick Archives) near Wick airport.

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Nucleus. Phone 01955 606432

Email north.highlandarchive@highlifehighland.com

www.highlifehighland.com/nucleus-nuclear-caithness-archives/

D18 The Brochtoberfest Exhibition [CA]

Calling all arty archaeologists - or archaeological artists? Visit Lyth Arts Centre this 'Brochtober' and enjoy a fantastic (and possible world's first) broch-themed exhibition. Featuring original and unique artwork - from prints to jewellery - by artists from across the world, including Ian Charles Scott, Lindsey Gallacher, Julian Smith, Beth Legg, Kelly Munro, Patricia Niemann and Lisa Bridge of Inspired by Caithness.

Sat. 5th Oct - Sun 3rd Nov during times that events and activities take place at Lyth Arts Centre. Contact the centre for dates lytharts.org.uk/events or 01955 641434

Free/donations welcome. Wheelchair accessible.

Caithness Broch Project
www.thebrochproject.co.uk

Lyth Arts Centre.  Phone 01955 641434
lytharts.org.uk

D4 - War Came Home [IN]

The exhibition focusses on disabled veterans returning after World War One. It explores social care provision and assistance provided, and the parallels between society’s attitudes then and now, over one hundred years later. The museum is free, but there is a charge to get into Fort George. Wheelchair access in part, so contact us about mobility issues.

10am-4pm

The Highlanders’ Museum. Phone 0131 3108701

Email info@thehighlandersmuseum.com

www.thehighlandersmuseum.com

D16 - The Northern Barrage in the Highlands [IN]

A one day exhibition featuring displays created by several local organisations researching the activities of the U.S. Navy in the Highlands during WWI. Note that a talk will follow at 7pm (see E95 in the Events programme). Venue: Spectrum Centre, Inverness near the bus station. Wheelchair access. Free/donations welcome.

3rd Oct, 4pm-7pm.

Inverness Local History Forum & ARCH. Phone 077888 35466

Email InvernessLocalHistoryForum@gmail.com or info@archhighland.org.uk

www.archhighland.org.uk

D5 - Recent Excavations at Burghead [MO]

Photographs of the excavations carried out by Gordon Noble in April this year. The key to visit the nearby enigmatic Burghead well is also available from the Centre. Limited parking near the Centre for less mobile visitors.

Free/donations welcome. Wheelchair access.

Until 5th Oct, 10am-4pm

Burghead Visitor Centre. Phone 01343 835518

www.burghead.com

D6 - Findhorn in Time and Tide [MO]

Our restored mid-19th century underground icehouse contains an exhibition relating to the once important local salmon netting industry. The Heritage Centre tells the story of Findhorn folk from the stone age to the present day. Free/donations welcome. Wheelchair accessible.

Sat 28th and Sun 29th Sept: 2pm-5pm

Findhorn Heritage Centre and Icehouse. Phone 01309 691823

Email tim248@btinternet.com

www.findhorn-heritage.co.uk

D7 - Nairn Pottery [NA]

A display of items produced at Nairn Pottery by Gordon and Muriel McIntyre and their pupils. Adults £4, concession £3, family £8, 5-16 £1, under 5 free. Wheelchair accessible.

Mon-Fri 10am-4:30pm; Sat (except 5th Oct) 10am-1pm

Nairn Museum. Phone 01667 456791

manager@nairnmuseum.co.uk

www.nairnmuseum.co.uk

D8 - Medieval Burials at Portmahomack: The Man with 6 Heads [RC]

FAS Heritage (York) and collaborators continue the Tarbat Discovery Programme in 2019 with a burial project that targets medieval burials at Portmahomack. One was of a very tall man buried with four skulls surrounding his head. This exhibit presents the results to date, including a facial reconstruction. Adults £4, concessions and children 13-17 £3, children under 12 free. Wheelchair access (partial).

4th-18th Oct: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 3pm-5pm

Tarbat Discovery Centre. Phone 01862 871351

Email admin@tarbat-discovery.co.uk

tarbat-discovery.co.uk

D9 - Old Photographs of Easter Ross [RC]

A running slide show of old photographs from Dingwall Museum’s collection, displayed at Dingwall Community Library. Free/donations welcome. Wheelchair access.

Mon, Wed, Fri 9am-6pm; Tue, Thur 9am-8pm; Sat 10am-5pm

Dingwall Museum & Dingwall Community Library (High Life Highland). Phone 01349 869869

D10 - Killearnan Memories Revisited [RC]

Another chance to explore the farms and castles of the north shore of the Beauly Firth in this one-day exhibition at North Kessock Village Hall. Refreshments, bookstall and children’s section. Free/donations welcome. Wheelchair access. Children with adults welcome.

5th Oct. 10am - 4:30pm

North Kessock and District Local History Society. Phone 07757 821373

Email info@northkessockhistory.com

www.northkessockhistory.com

D11 - Wartime Dalmore [RC]

An exhibition on wartime activity at Dalmore Distillery between Invergordon and Alness. In WWI it was taken over by the U.S. Navy to assemble and deploy mines between Orkney and Norway. In WWII it was one of a number of local sites used by the RAF.

Free/donations welcome. Wheelchair access.

Sat 28th Sept 10am-4pm; Sun 6th Oct 12-5pm

Invergordon Museum. Phone 01349 853509

Email Invergordonmuseum@gmail.com

www.invergordonmuseum.co.uk

D12 - A Military Landscape [RC]

An exhibition of photographs taken over the past 15 years by Allan Bovill of 20th Century military remains in, around, and underground in the Cromarty Firth area. Venue: Alness Heritage Centre.

Free/donations welcome. Wheelchair access.

Mon-Fri 10am-4pm

Allan Bovill & Alness Heritage Centre. Phone 01349 883005

www.alness.com/heritage-centre

D13 - Found in the Garden [RC]

A special exhibition of the few fragments of carved Pictish stones that have been found in the gardens of Rosemarkie since the 1980s. Free/donations welcome.

Mon-Fri 11am-4:30pm; Sat, Sun 2pm-4:30pm

Groam House Museum.

Phone 01381 620961

Email barbara.cohen@groamhouse.org

www.groamhouse.org.uk

D17 - Finds from Ashaig Holy Well [SL]

An exhibition showing selected finds uncovered during an excavation of the Holy Well at Ashaig near Broadford on Skye.

Skye & Lochalsh Archive Centre, Portree. Phone 01478 614078

Email skyeandlochalsh.archives@highlifehighland.com

D14 - 150th Anniversary of Lairg Station [SU]

Lairg Local History Society’s exhibition retained for a second year includes old photographs, documents and an N gauge model railway diorama of Invershin Station, based on the steam era of the Far North Line.

Free/Donations welcome. Wheelchair access. 10am - 4pm.

Ferrycroft Museum. Phone 01549 402160

www.highlifehighland.com/ferrycroft-visitor-centre/

Photo: Highland Railway Society, via Ambaile

D15 - Highland Archaeology: Re-using our Past [SU]

Shortlisted photographs from the 2018 Highland Archaeology Festival photographic competition. Contact library to confirm dates. Free/donations welcome. Wheelchair access. 

Mon 1-5pm, 6-8pm; Tues 10am-12:30pm, 2-5pm; Thu 2-5pm, 6-8pm; Fri 10am-12:30pm, 1:30-4:30pm

Brora Library (High Life Highland). Phone 01408 621128

Email brora.library@highlifehighland.com

www.highlifehighland.com/libraries/brora-library-and-cultural-centre/

Museums and Archives open during HAF: 

(£ = entry charge; F/D = Free or donations)