Highland museums to benefit from development cash

Carrie Gooch, Director of West Highland Museum said: “The West Highland Museum is delighted to be able to take forward our Beyond Our Walls project. We will employ a dedicated team to go out into our local communities and schools inspiring people with the history and heritage of this fascinating area of Lochaber, bringing groups of all ages through our doors into the museum, many of whom are coming for the first time.

“The West Highland Museum has a policy of free admission, so we are reliant on volunteers to stay open, this funding from Museums Galleries Scotland will enable us to further strengthen community ties and interest more people in caring for our collections for future generations.”  

The museum is keen to hear from schools and community organisations who would like to visit the museum to participate in workshops, tours or other activities. The engagement team are also available to host outreach activities off site at schools and in community spaces. For more information email: community@westhighlandmuseum.org.uk

Gairloch Museum will receive £57,942 which it plans to use to produce a two-year cultural programme around heritage, art, Gaelic and the outdoors, which will celebrate the local identity of the region. Ullapool Museum will use its £59,998 to undergo a collection stores refurbishment to allow for greater access to their collection for the local community, researchers, staff and volunteers. And the Outer Hebrides Heritage Forum - Comann Dualchas Innse Gall, which is receiving funding to the tune of £57,400 will use it to highlight and improve awareness of the heritage venues of the Outer Hebrides. The project will also work to build audiences and skills in the volunteer workforce.

Corinna Annetts, curator at Gairloch Museum is delighted to receive the funding. She said: “This funding is a tremendous boost for Gairloch Museum. It will allow us to enhance our engagement with the local community and visitors, promoting our heritage and cultural identity throughout the wider area. The Pushing the Boundaries project will expand our range of Gaelic and cultural events, develop new activities to increase our tourist footfall, and prepare us for celebrating the 50th anniversary of Gairloch Museum in 2027.”  

Siobhàn Beatson, Ullapool Museum manager, was also delighted, saying: “We are very excited to start on the much needed expansion of our museum stores. This project will enable us to re-connect with our collection, and allow our collection to re connect with its roots in the local community.”

Angus Robertson, Culture Secretary said: “Scotland’s museums showcase our past and present across a broad range of subjects to our local and international visitors, bringing economic benefits to their wider communities as well as safeguarding our cultural heritage. 

 “The Scottish Government is therefore proud to support their ongoing development through this Museums Galleries Scotland funding, and we congratulate the six successful museums as they deliver important projects which celebrate our local identities and community connections.”

Lucy Casot, CEO, Museums Galleries Scotland said: “We’re delighted to support these six museums to respond to their individual context and develop projects that connect to their local audience and area. These projects reflect the strong ambition within the sector to create museums that are not only financially sustainable and attractive to visitors but that also contribute to their community.”

Other museums funded from around Scotland are the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow, which will receive £45,000, and the Scottish Football Museum and National Mining Museum Scotland, which will receive £51,914.