Clan Cameron Museum
Museum in an old estate cottage at Achnacarry telling the story of Clan Cameron, the Jacobite risings and the Commando training of World War II.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Clan Cameron Museum is housed in an old listed cottage, said to be the oldest building on the Achnacarry estate, the ancestral home of the Camerons of Lochiel. It has welcomed visitors since it opened in 1989, and an extension followed in 1998.
The displays follow the history of Clan Cameron from its beginnings in Lochaber to the present day. Clan Cameron supported the Stuart cause, and the chief, Lochiel, brought out his clan for Prince Charles Edward Stuart in 1745. After Culloden the old house at Achnacarry was burnt, the clan system broke down and evictions followed; in 1802 about 400 people were moved from Loch Arkaig to Ontario, and a cairn at the museum commemorates them. The museum also records the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, formed in 1793.
During the Second World War Achnacarry was the Commando Basic Training Centre, where about 25,000 Allied volunteers trained on a course described as one of the toughest in the world. A separate exhibition explains the training, and a Commando Trail leaflet guides visitors around the grounds. The museum also offers walks through the clan's ancestral lands and a clan records room for family history.
Highlights
- History of Clan Cameron from the 14th century to the present day
- Jacobite objects, including a waistcoat and ring linked to Prince Charles Edward Stuart
- Exhibition on the Commando Basic Training Centre at Achnacarry
- Jacobite Rose grown from a cutting of one picked by Prince Charles Edward Stuart
- Cameron Cairn commemorating the 1802 emigrants
Permanent exhibitions
- Clan Cameron – The history of the clan from the 14th century, the Jacobite risings, the clearances and the Cameron Highlanders, with objects such as the Cameron Flag and a Jacobite ring.
- The Commandos at Achnacarry – How the Commando Basic Training Centre at Achnacarry trained about 25,000 Allied volunteers in World War II, with a trail through the grounds.
- Founded
- 1989
- Operated by
- Clan Cameron Museum
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
A car park is above the Cameron Cairn.
The museum is reached by single-track roads that leave the A82 at the Commando Memorial, about seven miles north-west of Spean Bridge.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The museum sells Clan Cameron gifts, books and items in Cameron tartans. Cold drinks and ice cream are also reported on a third-party guide.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | A clan records room holds genealogical and background material. The museum encourages visitors to join the Clan Cameron Association, which has branches in several countries, and offers walks through the clan's ancestral lands. |
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