Friday 6 October is Scotland’s first ever Heritage Awareness Day and Historic Environment Scotland wants everybody to join in! The day is taking place across Scotland and it is a great way for you to share and celebrate heritage and what it means to you. Get involved and shine a spotlight on the historic environment, history and heritage that surrounds us all.
So here at the Highland Folk Museum we thought we would ask some of the team which part of the museum was their favourite……
“The tartan. I love the tartan. And the plaids. And Queen Vicky’s dress (especially if that’s what it really is!). And the wally dugs. And the figurines in tartan breeks. And the wooden washing machines. And the Singer sewing machines. And the bone-shaking cycling machines. All under one roof – a shelter in The Shelter. A veritable Aladdin’s Cave. Except our carpets don’t fly, sadly. But at least they’re tartan.” Matthew Withey, Curatorial Manager
“Tha am Baile Gean an t-àite as fheàrr leam san taigh tasgaidh, gu h-àraid taigh an fhir thaca. Ged a tha na togalaichean an sin ùr, tha iad làn faireachdainn. Nuair a bhios mi nam shuidhe aig cois an teine, tha e mar gum biodh na sinnsearan faisg oirnn. ’S e àite sònraichte.”
“Baile Gean is my favourite place in the museum, and in particular the Tacksman’s House. Although the buildings there are a new construction, they are full of atmosphere. Sitting at the fireside, you can feel the folk of old close by. It’s a special place.”
Maureen Hammond, PHD student
Inside the Tacksman’s House
“My favourite part of the museum would have to be the Am Fasgadh store especially the Textiles and Costume collection. The collection consists of over 1300 main items. We have so many fine examples of flat textiles including traditional hand spun, hand dyed and hand woven blankets collected by I F Grant, many woven in a small bird’s-eye pattern but each with its own individual colour scheme varying from subdued and subtle shades of brown to bright orange and red. The collection has many fine examples of locally produced linen, fine and coarse, collected by Grant some pieces dating from the late 1700s.”
Rachel Chisholm, Curator (Collections)
“My favourite part of the museum is the Township. It has such a lovely atmosphere, and it is so interesting to get a glimpse into what the buildings would have been like in the eighteenth century. The staff are also so knowledgeable and skilled in the various crafts such as drop-spindle spinning, dyeing and weaving, and basket making.”
Liz Trevethick, Curator (Large Object Collections)
“My favourite part of the museum is our Sweetie Shop, there is an amazing selection of old packaging, from biscuits, to salmon and chocolate, some of which hasn’t changed that much over the years. The range of sweeties is fantastic and whenever I go into the Sweetie Shop I just feel like a kid again!”
Jo Hopkins, Operations Assistant
Highland Folk Museum
So now you’ve read some of our favourites please visit our Twitter and Facebook pages and tell us which is your favourite part of our museum!
