Cromarty Museum

About the museum

Cromarty Museum occupies the town's courthouse, built between 1771 and 1773 by the merchant George Ross with money promised from the sale of estates forfeited after the Jacobite risings. Ross had bought the Cromarty estate in 1767 and invested heavily in the town, and the internal fitting out of the courthouse took another ten years. The building later served as a county prison until 1879, held police cells until the First World War, when the Naval Shore Patrol used them, and was last used as a Sheriff Court in the 1930s. The burgh magistrates continued to sit there until the late 1950s.

After years of neglect, the local authority invested in the building as part of a plan to create a heritage attraction for the town. The courthouse museum opened in 1991 and won the Scottish Museum of the Year award that year. It has grown steadily since and is cared for by Cromarty Courthouse Trust, run by a small staff team supported by trustees.

The ground floor has two exhibition spaces with permanent displays on life in Cromarty and local archaeology, plus a small eight-seat cinema showing a specially commissioned film. Upstairs are the recreated courtroom and the Courtroom Gallery, which explores the history of the courthouse and Cromarty's legal past. Audio soundscapes bring the courthouse and jail to life, and a free self-guided digital walking tour, Fisherfolk of Cromarty, explores the fishing community.

Highlights

• Recreated 18th-century courtroom
• Former prison cells
• Local archaeology and life in Cromarty
• Short film in an eight-seat cinema
• Free self-guided walking tour Fisherfolk of Cromarty

Permanent exhibitions

• Life in Cromarty and local archaeology – Two ground-floor galleries on everyday life and archaeology in Cromarty, with a small cinema showing the commissioned film cromarty63.
• Courtroom and Courtroom Gallery – A recreated 18th-century courtroom on the first floor, with a gallery on the history of the courthouse and Cromarty's legal past.

Founded

1991

Operated by

Cromarty Courthouse Trust

Admission & discounts

Adult admission of 4.50 pounds is paid once and is valid for the whole season. Entry is free for children under 16 and for residents of Cromarty and Resolis parishes. Visitors who arrive without a car get free entry with a valid ferry ticket, bus ticket or bike helmet.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The listed 18th-century building has steps, a steep staircase and narrow corridors, so access is restrictive for people with mobility issues. Audio soundscapes have QR codes linking to text summaries for people with hearing issues, and full transcripts are available online and in print from the museum shop. Dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

The free self-guided digital walking tour Fisherfolk of Cromarty is aimed at visitors, families and young people. The museum also offers curriculum-based learning games and resources online.

Getting there & parking

Cromarty is signposted from the A9 north of Inverness. From the south, turn off the A9 towards Munlochy and follow the signs for Cromarty.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum shop sells locally produced goods, items made for the courthouse and a Cromarty heritage jigsaw puzzle.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit