So - in my opinion, plan your visit here solely for the 1700 Scottish village experience and DO NOT…read moreplan this as a place to eat lunch!! The tearoom is super basic, just 6 diff types of indifferent sandwiches like tuna, BLT, egg, prawn etc and a soup (which was tomato basil on the day we were there and was hearty and quite delicious). There are also a good variety of drinks but that is it! Apart from the soup, everything else is cold and the dessert quality was quite indifferent too (specifically the lemon curd cake - would not get this from here). That being said, the actual experience of walking thru the village and seeing first hand how people lived in the Scottish highlands from 1700s onwards was quite revealing. We were lucky to visit on a day the re- thatching of the grass roof on one of the huts was happening and the peat fire was on, so could ask a lot of questions from the re-enactors. Breathing in the peat fire was an especially eye opening experience as I realized first hand how breathing in that heavy carbon filled air in that enclosed space would have contributed to an average life expectancy of around 35 years (never mind if you were asthmatic!). I also loved the gypsy encampment and the tradesmen shops from the 1930s thru to the 50s. Apparently the shops were moved here and so they are not just recreations. There's also video and or audio-visual presentation that create an interactive visit, and for the latter, just look for big buttons to press on the wall while the videos run in a continuous loop. Oh also because it's a fairly big outdoor museum, there is a £1 donation which gets you in a truck which drives you around, so check timings for that if you have a limited time. I def enjoyed my visit, but will eat in town or elsewhere before coming here again.

Wonderful place to visit. The displays are interesting. The docents are friendly and informative. A…read moregreat place to spend 3 or 4 hours. The cafe on site has a selection of sandwiches and a soup of the day; I had a bowl of tomato basil soup with a hummus/ tomato sandwich; delicious. My friend had one of the dessert selections; carrot cake, bar cookie, lemon muffin.

This is a must when visiting Fort William. It's on the high street where the Bronze Ford is, it's…read moremuch bigger than what I expected and wish I had more time because it was fascinating. We received a lovely welcome upon arrival and guided into a great exhibit about military training, there were also bits about the bronze Ford, the old fort and even Queen Victoria and Albert and Bonnie Prince Charlie's death mask. Scottish tartan clothes and dolls and animal taxidermy and it's free to visit but donations are welcome. The gift shop is brilliant too, great books and posters and bits. Would definitely be first on my list when visiting Fort William again!

We spent a day wandering Fort William on our trip to Scotland. We had no plans when we got into…read moretown, so it was great to stumble upon this little gem. The museum is only the size of a large house, but it's jammed full of of things to look at! There's an exhibit dedicated to the old Fort William itself, a large section dedicated to the Jacobite Rebellion, as well as exhibits on military history, Highland life, and changes in the Victorian times, as well as an archaeologic exhibit. There's a fantastic coin collection, interesting displays on weaponry, and the intriguing secret portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie. I learned as much about the West Highland area in my time at this museum as during the rest of our trip in the area. Located in the walking-only part of downtown, It's run entirely by a charity, and while entrance is free, donations are welcomed and I'd highly encourage you to contribute-- they're doing good work here.

Inverness is small ("wee" in the vernacular) and no one should expect collections of the caliber of…read morethe Met, Louvre or even LACMA but in addition to temporary touring exhibitions, this facility hosts the Highlander history in art, crafts, music and weaponry. Whiskey will not be found here even though it's tributes are worthy. This assemblage merely hints at the greatness of the Celt, Viking and Highland peoples and encourages further study on your leisure. One item I found of particular interest were the gold neck torcs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torc) ancient warriors wore not only as a symbol of their rank within their community but also a potentially lucky block to a neck-chop sword hack. This is a land with a troubled past. That's probably why they invented scotch. You won't spend much time here but time spent here is time well spent. Dig it? (I was surprised to see I wasn't the first Yelper to review this place so "Cheers" to bonnie Adrienne G!)

Small but perfectly formed,…read more Inverness was my first taste of Scotland and it was surprising and wonderful. Inverness Museum and Art Gallery is a must visit in the city. As it's unlikely to be torrential sunshine it's a perfect spot to wile away the hour or so. A really simple and informative exhibition with some really effective interactive touches marking it fun for all the family. I very much enjoyed the taxidermy. If you're a stuffed beast enthusiast, you'll find yourself right at home here. The Art Gallery was in the middle of a reshuffle so was closed during my visit, so add a bit extra time for some highland art. Go get your learning on and have a visit.

Oh my goodness, Neil and his dogs are going to be one of those unforgettable memories of our trip…read moreto Scotland. Neil is a magician with his dogs and sheep. Oh how I wish I could have spent the day shadowing him. Amazed that 6 wk old pups are already following Neil's commands. Watching his dogs herd the sheep is amazing, I even got to help shear a very calm sheep. If you get the chance to see Neil and his working sheep dogs don't miss it. So work the cost. Thank you Neil.

Amazing demonstration. A must do in Scotland. Neal is a true professional and it is incredible to…read morewatch.

In the afternoon of Monday 15 July 2019, I ventured to the Treasures Of The Earth museum. I had…read moregone to visit Glenfinnan Viaduct and found parking to be backed up about a mile, I even measured with my rental car's odometer, and decided I wanted to do something else while I waited for it to quiet down. I was staying in Fort William, so I made my way back towards my lodging and saw signs along the road for Treasures Of The Earth, so I decided to follow them and see if it was still open. The parking lot and building were easy to find. Parking spots were available, so I parked, and made my way to the entrance. It turned out the museum was open, so I paid the fee and explored the museum. As a geologist with a specialization in mineralogy, petrology, and volcanology, I found this museum to be super neat. Different exhibits showcased different physical properties of minerals as well as the environments in which they are found. In one area, there is a fountain that had coins on the bottom when I visited. My plush, Hedgy the Hedgehog, and I made a wish to travel to Ireland at the fountain and threw our coin in. Has not happened yet, but we still have hope. At the end of my museum journey I perused the gift shop. I found a number of items to purchase both for myself and for family members back in the United States of America. Prices for some of the mineral specimens on sale were amazing. All of the workers I interacted with were well-tempered and the workers as well as other patrons while I was there were well-mannered.

One of the best, small museums in the North. Much of the work is carried out by "Friends of…read moreFalconer". A must when in Forres. Friendly ,helpful, knowledgeable staff.

At the Battle of Culloden approximately 1,500-2,000 Jacobite soldiers were killed or wounded in…read moreless than an hour. In contrast, government forces suffered 50 deaths. Just hearing that initial description of the place made it a very somber experience. We had a guided tour of the battlefield that provided additional information and knowledge. There were some highland cows and other cattle on the back fields. They were behind an electric fence at the time of our visit but they were a nice sight to see during this visit.

The Culloden Battlefield was run by the National Trust of Scotland which was a different membership…read morefrom the one we had with Historic Scotland. We opted to book a guided tour of the battlefield which was well worth it with the insights provided by a knowledgeable and outgoing guide. The tour walked out as far as the British Line(red flags) but we later wandered out to the Jacobite Line (blue flags) on our own. Do stay on the gravel paths as the site does contain the remains of those who died in the battle. Another tip, dress warmly for the walk outside as the weather shifted while on the tour and it got quite chilly with some rain. The museum presented both viewpoints on the battle and the two sides throughout which was interesting to see and compare. Photos of the artifacts on displays were not allowed and docents would chase you down or stop you since some items were privately owned and on loan. It was ok to take photos of drawings or placards created by the NTS. Overall a stunning defeat for the Jacobites. Next time we're in Scotland I do want to visit the Battle of Bannockburn site to compare the battle that Scotland won over England.

On a rainy day on our Perthshire holiday we decided to head to the Beatrix Potter Exhibition &…read moreGarden in Birnam for some indoor fun with our 1 year old. I have to be honest I wasn't expecting much, but I was proved wrong. This is a really lovely place that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to visitors with little ones. The exhibition is housed in Birnam's Arts & Conference Centre. Outside is a lovely garden with sculptures of the animals that Beatrix made famous through her books. Inside is a lovely gift shop with Beatrix Potter themed goods, and a great range of non-Potter related cards, books, gifts, toys, and trinkets... Downstairs is the exhibition area. This is relatively small compared to other exhibitions/museums, but it's appeal for us was the great range of play activities for the little ones. From drawing and colouring on blackboards and at old school desks, to playing shop, playing with puzzles, dressing up, and reading books - this was a great way to spend an afternoon with our little one. I feel this is really geared towards younger kids under 8, but was just perfect for our inquisitive 1 year old. Upstairs is the Foyer Cafe, where we enjoyed some lovely coffees. The staff here were really lovely too!

A lovely place to go adult and child alike! Personally, I love Peter Rabbit, Miss Tiggywinkle etc…read moreand this museum is a real tribute to 'Miss Potter', There is a large ish shop selling lovely books and other memorabilia. The 'museum' itself is quite small, yet informative and very hands on for the kids. There are also clothes for the kids to dress up in. Beatrix Potter took holidays in Dalguise in Perthshire (now a PGL centre) before her family changed their holiday destination to the Lakes.

A free museum full of old pict stones pict highlander history and more, Stunning! The volunteer is…read moregreat

Great local history museum. It's housed in an old 16th century building. There's collections from…read morevarious stages of the area's history. It has several small buildings with pieces in them. Watch for the low, very low doors into some buildings.