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.

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.

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

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.

Did you know, supermodel, Elle McPherson and Newt Gingrich are part of the McPherson clan? Well now…read moreyou do! Adorable place with a ton of history about the McPherson Clan. The mini self guided tour starts with a 10 minute video. The staff were friendly and happy to answer our questions, talk about the culture, details about clothing, famous people, etc. Also, they have relics from the 1400's. Best of all it's free!!

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.

What an awesome giant functioning fort!!! I really had low expectations thinking it was going to be…read moreboring but I truly enjoyed the audio guide and being able to see all the historic items throughout the fort. The place was giant and we spent a few hours here so plan accordingly. We didn't get lucky with the dolphins but it was a gorgeous Scottish day and I was thankful for that. Quick breezy at the top.

Google maps originally directed us to drive inside the fort but there was a dedicated visitor…read moreparking lot out in front. Inside the fort we decided to head to the back to start our visit. A small and beautiful chapel was located there and well worth a look inside. The demi-bastions were the highlight with panoramic views of the water, Moray of Firth, and Inverness in the distance. Not all of the buildings in the fort were accessible to visitors and were marked accordingly. Highlights for us included the following: Historic barrack rooms were setup to show conditions and how soldiers (and those lucky enough to have their families) lived. A museum delved into the history of the Seaforth Highlanders and even had a room where one could try on traditional Scottish wear such as kilts. The Lego mini figures with their unique Scottish clothing were a hit with the kids but they were all sold out in the gift shop. The Grand Magazine held a huge display of rifles, satchels and swords. Eventhough it was a little bit of a drive to get there, the fort was in very good condition and accessible to visit.

Castle looking other Inverness across the river. Nice Castle and lots of history. Interesting. They…read moreare doing some renovations right now. If your in the area might want to check it out or at least view it from river walk.

Due to extensive renovation projects and remodelling the castle and grounds were closed to the…read morepublic in 2021. So, we could only see the site from a distance. The site is scheduled to re-open to the public in 2025. Fun fact, an illustration of the castle is featured on the reverse side of a £50 note was introduced in 2005 and issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland, which