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Strathnaver Museum

Museum | Thurso | Scotland | United Kingdom

The Strathnaver Museum is located in the village of Bettyhill in Sutherland, Scotland, and is dedicated to the history and culture of the region. It is housed in the former parish church of Farr, a building dating back to 1774 that is listed for its regional architectural significance by Historic Environment Scotland. The museum opened in 1976 and provides a comprehensive insight into the history of Strathnaver, from prehistoric times to the present.


Collections and Exhibitions

The museum houses a diverse collection of artifacts documenting life in the northern Highlands:

Prehistoric finds: An intact Bronze Age beaker discovered during road works in Chealamy in 1981.

Crafts and everyday items: Tools, agricultural equipment, and fishing gear illustrating the lives of people in the region.

Clan Mackay: A room dedicated to Clan Mackay showcasing a rich collection of memorabilia and clan history.

Military items: Exhibits shedding light on the military history of the region.

Contemporary art: Works by local artists reflecting the cultural diversity of the region.

Special Features

A standout feature of the museum is the 9th-century Farr Stone, an intricately carved Pictish cross slab located in the museum's outdoor area.


Educational offerings and events

The museum is engaged in educational outreach, offering programs for schools as well as special events for children and families. Regular special exhibitions and events are organized to further deepen the cultural heritage and history of Strathnaver.


Overall, the Strathnaver Museum provides a profound insight into the history and culture of the region and serves as a significant hub for education and cultural heritage in the northern Highlands.

Contact details

Web

Phone

Address
Clachan
Bettyhill
KW14 7SS Thurso

Map view

Reviews

139 Reviews

Jonny Gutteridge
15.10.2024

I visited Strathnaver Museum a couple of weeks ago while doing the NC500. Well worth the stop - fascinating history that you don’t necessarily learn about when you’re from England
Elizabeth Todd
12.10.2024

Average museum. Lovely staff. Enjoyed
Karl Thomas
07.10.2024

Fascinating museum with lots of information about the clearances which coming from south of the border I've heard nothing about, and (un)suprisingly they make no mention of at Dunrobin castle. (Rich people have apparently always been horrible towards the poor.) Well worth a visit.
Scott Souder
01.10.2024

Both the Museum and the Annex are very interesting. A part of history I was not aware of.
William Miller
15.09.2024

Brilliant local museum
Donald Macgillivray
07.09.2024

Great place to visit, very informative and also very helpful with family tree
Jeff Farr
24.08.2024

Well done museum. We learned a lot about the area and the people who have lived in it.
George Luputiu
11.08.2024

Glad we stopped here as even being a small place but great for history... From ancient times of the Picts almost into our times you can get a glimpse of the North Scottish history and clan Mackay... Definitely worth a stop if you're visiting the area or if you're on NC500 road trip...
John van der Hoeven
08.08.2024

Leuk klein museum met veel history over de Clearance in dit gebied en de tijdlijn van de Mackays met de begraafplaats ernaast waar de generaties met nageslacht begraven liggen.
Mark Mackay
04.08.2024

Very interesting
Gordon Walker
01.08.2024

Really interesting and shocking in equal measure at how brutal the clearances were. Very helpful staff and a good wee cafe next door
Phil Willis
29.07.2024

Very good little museum documenting the highland clearences.
Martin Scott
29.07.2024

What a great museum for the children, and adults. Full of information about how Scotland changed to years ago and great interactive displays for the children. £5 per adult and U18's go free, worth every penny. Highly recommend a visit if staying nearby or passing through.
Richard Gilmour
19.07.2024

Poignant and interesting. Lots of interactive screens.
mimmo puppin
06.07.2024

Piccolo ma carino, molto interessante seguire la storia della Scozia
Two-Eyes Mckay
28.06.2024

Excellent local museum. Very personal stories of Clearances. MacKay stuff very cool.
louise beverley
26.06.2024

What an amazing place. I am disabled and although I couldn't get upstairs, I missed nothing as there was a tablet taking me on the whole tour can't recommended enough
Chrissie Burrell
20.06.2024

Loved this little museum. Friendly staff. Really interesting. Beware of the access road, enormous potholes! Seriously, they could damage a vehicle.
Kyle Boutilier
06.06.2024

Highly recommend for a stop to learn more about the highland clearances and local history.
Jenny
06.06.2024

Well worth a stop. Very informative with lots to read. Only £5 per person
Anne Sinclair
24.05.2024

A wonderful volunteer run museum. Small though packed with great information and relics.
Gayle Rafferty
15.04.2024

Could have spent many more hours just looking and listening. History made interesting. Highly recommended
C C
07.11.2023

This is a terrific museum: really thoughtfully curated with excellent and informative signage. We were happy to find it open in early November, and were told that they decided to try keeping it open year round and see how many visitors they get. I hope they'll have many. I was very glad to have the opportunity to learn more about the history of the area.
Alistair Easthope
04.10.2023

Fabulous place with lots of information about local history.
Nik Undy
26.09.2023

Very well presented and interesting. Well worth the visit
SabersKunk
26.09.2023

Nice museum and cafe
Anne Ferrard
21.09.2023

Very interesting museum about the history of the area. Great place to visit !
Eddie Brown
18.09.2023

What an interesting....well organised museum ....small but perfectly formed... lovely knowledgeable staff ..... interesting snapshot of local and Scottish history.
R Cameron
14.09.2023

Interesting museum about the clearances. Moving.
Carrie Mann
13.09.2023

As a MacKay, this was a great visit here
kev d
11.09.2023

Lovely little place located just outside Bettyhill within a former kirk. Plenty of material relating to the clearances and the impact they had on the greater area. Plenty of exhibits showing how life was once lived and information on people of note from this area.
Massimo Ermes Pitto
10.09.2023

Da vedere
Steve Van Rijen
06.09.2023

Zeker de moeite waard.
andy argyle
03.09.2023

Well worth a visit.

 

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