News

While our Jacobite Collection is already internationally-recognised, we are now delighted to have items from the prestigious Drambuie Collection on long term loan to us, with the kind permission of William Grant & Sons.The additional items include a selection of rare and fascinating glassware that illustrate some of the secret symbols that Jacobites used to reveal themselves to their friends and to hide their allegiance to the Stuarts from their enemies.One of the highlights of this beautiful collection is an extremely rare enamelled portrait glass of Prince Charles Edward Stuart.  The only other one known to exist is at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.There is also a selection of unique relics on display including an enamel snuff box with a hidden portrait of Prince Charles and piece of the mast of the boat in which the Prince crossed from Skye to Loch Nevis in July 1746.So if you haven’t visited us for some time please do so and also see the many other changes that have taken place over the past few years.

Over the busy Summer months of July and August, the Museum will be open from 11am till 3pm each Sunday. We’re not only one of the best independent Museums in the country but we have an excellent bookshop and gift-shop too, which you’ll find of interest!

With effect from 1st April 2018, the organisation running the Museum will be the West Highland Museum Trust.  As was intimated at the 2017 AGM, the Museum Trustees unanimously decided to seek consent from the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) to wind up the trust deed governed body, the West Highland Museum and transfer assets to the new WHMT, a charitable company limited by guarantee.  The new WHMT is company number SC581556 and Scottish Charity number SC047954.  OSCR has now given consent and the transfer is in progress.    This is a significant move by the Museum and follows the route taken by many long-established charities that desire to modernise their governance.Responsibility for oversight of the operation of the Museum will now sit with the board of directors, rather than be shared with a Management Committee.  While the Trustees must remain in place until the entire assets are transferred, the Management Committee has ceased to function.  The Chairman of Trustees attended the last meeting of the Management Committee on 28th March and expressed thanks on behalf of Trustees for their sterling work over many years.

Monday 26th March marked the end of Fiona Marwick’s term as Curator.  Fiona first started as Secretary and Curator in 1986 and served until 2007, leaving to bring up family and then returning part-time in 2012.  She brought much experience to the Museum and was its first qualified curator.  For 30 years her name has been synonymous with the Museum and she brought it to its present highly-regarded position.The Museum Trust also welcomes Vanessa Martin, Spean Bridge, as the next Curator who will have Fiona as mentor for a period.  Vanessa has had much voluntary experience of museums elsewhere and has carried out several tasks for the West Highland Museum over the past 7 years, particularly helping gain accreditation from Museum Galleries Scotland.Colleen Barker will remain as Manager.Marking the changes, John Hutchison, Chairman said, “Past and present trustees are very grateful for Fiona’s professionalism and dedication to the Museum and we wish her well in her other interests.  We are also delighted to welcome Vanessa Martin who joins our strong team.”

In 2016 when we reached 48,333 visitors we wondered whether we might be able to top 50,000 the next year but we were delighted when 2017 saw a 14% increase to 55,013!  The 55,000th visitor was Gary Elder from Caol who had not been in the Museum since a school visit in 1979.Our thanks go to kind local photographer, Iain Ferguson, who was able to record the moment and gain some useful publicity.

Over the busy Summer months of July and August, the Museum will be open from 11am till 3pm each Sunday. We’re not only one of the best independent Museums in the country but we have an excellent bookshop and gift-shop too, which you’ll find of interest!

We are now stocking ‘The Commandos in Training, at War and at Achnacarry Castle’ DVD under licence.The price is £12.00 in the Museum shop or by mail order, £13.50 incl P & P. 

Fans of the Outlander books and TV series are making our Museum a ‘must see’ destination to learn more about the world of the Jacobites that Claire Randall found herself sharing with Jamie Fraser in 1743.  We are pleased about that and know we can give them an excellent insight.  As a guide we have  produced this Outlander leaflet.

We will be holding a coffee morning on Thursday 9th June 2016 from 10am to 12 noon, so please come and enjoy a morning break alongside the fascinating Commando Room exhibits.Coffee, tea, cakes and other sweet treats will be available for just a donation.  Everyone is welcome.

During our AGM on 26th May, volunteer and Trustee, Betty Bruce, was presented with a gift by Donald Cameron of Lochiel, our President, to mark her dedicated service to the Museum over the 20 years that she has been running the Saturday Club for young folk, special Museum tours and other community outreach.  Well done, Betty!