Highland Folk Museum Newtonmore Education Schools Visits

Learning at the Highland Folk Museum - Introduction
The Highland Folk Museum is a fantastic resource for learning whether as a family, on your own, in a school group or as part of a project. Follow these links to discover more:

Adults - individuals and groups
Families
Community Groups
Schools

Please note that school and organised group bookings should be made through Heather or Maureen on 01540 673551. For more information about school visits, please visit the Schools pages through the link above.

Adults - individuals and groups

Site visits

Our multi-sense site offers plenty of opportunity to recall your own past or to understand something of how others once lived. Take time to make the most of the sights, sounds and smells around you.

To gain the most from a visit we’d suggest you purchase a copy of our Visitor Guide, only £2.50, which provides extra information that can enhance your experience of the site and its fascinating buildings and collections. Experienced costumed staff are also on hand to give further insights into life in the past and are more than happy to answer any questions you have.

Activities

A group exploring the garden An activity programme, featuring demonstrations of traditional crafts skills, runs throughout the summer, for a full programme, go to our Activities web page

We would also love to learn from you. If you have memories related to any of our site, please share these with our costumed staff.

Research enquiries click here

Families

Site visits

Family enjoying the site The Highland Folk Museum is a great day out for families and if you’ve come to learn together there are lots of ways you can get more involved.

You may want to experience the site in your own way, enjoying fresh air, lots of space and a chance to see anything from a 1930s school and garden to a red squirrel or from a 1700s Township to a feral goat. The Visitor Guide, available from reception for £2.50, and friendly costumed staff can help you learn more about the buildings and stories you will encounter on site.

If you’re looking for something more we also offer resources and activities on site.

Resources

At the Farm
In the steading at the Farm a Wartime Kitchen provides a thought provoking look at life during rationing. Alongside are activities for children, encouraging them to think about what they eat. For those with memories of life during rationing there’s an opportunity to share your memories.

At the Township
In the large barn you’ll find a mini cruck frame. Discover together how the Township buildings were made. Full family instructions accompany this activity.
Family Backpacks

Full of fun activities and things to do, this backpack and map will give you plenty of things to think about and discuss together.
Available for a small charge from the Shop, this resource is in English and in Gaelic.

Activities

Having a go at the quern stone Throughout the summer an Activity Programme offers demonstrations and new things to try. Please follow the link to see the full Programme of Activities

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Community Groups

Over the past few years the museum has had an active programme of involving community groups in projects at and outwith the museum.

Examples of Projects:
ABE History Group at the Museum (2008)
A local group of literacy learners have recently formed a History Group and are exploring both the recent past as well as areas such as the Highland Clearances. This group are visiting the museum as part of their research and working with us to develop resources to help other learners.

Laggan Heritage - sheep fank and bothy (2007)
Laggan Heritage, a local history group, worked with the museum to preserve an important part of Highland history. They helped us to identify and interpret a Shepherd's bothy, which has recently been moved to the museum. They also helped us research a ruined sheep fank, which has been reconstructed in the museum.

Projects involving young Travellers (2004 - 2008)
The museum has worked with several groups of young Travellers to support their learning from literacies work to enterprise projects and to help them celebrate their rich cultural heritage. This work has led to the development of an exhibition, produced by the young people and displayed in Inverness Museum and Art Gallery in 2005, a loans box available to schools and community groups and the building of a bow tent at the museum. recently displayed an exhibition of their unique experiences of Scotland at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. This exhibition, Travel through our Memories is also to be shown at the National Library of Scotland in November 2008.

Projects with Violence Against Women groups (2005 - 2008)
Our first project with families affected by Violence Against Women aimed to tell the untold stories of these families and to introduce them to museums as a place to have fun family experiences. The families worked together to produce a book of their stories, which is now in the National Library of Scotland. Last year the group decided to visit us again, bringing new families to enjoy a day out and activities. The group followed this up by creating an exhibition about their day with us.

To find out about loans boxes available to community groups, visit our Loans Box Page.