Falconer Museum
Victorian museum in Forres with archaeology, natural history and fossil collections linked to the scientist Hugh Falconer, closed while a new charity prepares its reopening.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Falconer Museum in Forres was founded in 1871 thanks to a bequest of £1,000 from Alexander Falconer (1797-1856), a merchant born in Forres who worked in Calcutta, for a public museum in his home town. His brother Hugh Falconer (1808-1865) was a scientist who worked mostly in India. He contributed to early ideas about the antiquity of humankind, corresponded with Charles Darwin and helped to introduce tea as a crop in India.
Moray Council took over the museum in 1979. The collections cover social history, archaeology, natural history, world heritage, a herbarium, the Falconer fossils and the Anson picture collection, and they are regarded as significant nationally and internationally. In 2019 the council decided to cut all funding because of budget pressures, and the building has been closed to the public since then; the staff left in April 2020.
In September 2025 Moray Council backed a new plan under which a new independent charity will run the museum, while the council keeps ownership of the building and collections. The plan foresees a gradual reopening over five years, beginning with a limited number of opening days. The Friends of the Falconer Museum continue to support the project, and a public open day was planned for 5 September 2026 as part of Doors Open Days.
Highlights
- Collections of Hugh Falconer, who corresponded with Charles Darwin
- Archaeology and natural history collections
- Falconer fossil collection and herbarium
- Victorian museum building in the centre of Forres
- Founded
- 1871
- Operated by
- Moray Council (a new independent charity is being set up to run the museum)
Admission & discounts
The museum is closed while a new charity prepares its gradual reopening.
Accessibility
The museum is closed while a new charity prepares its gradual reopening.
Kids & families
The museum is closed while a new charity prepares its gradual reopening.
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking is available in several public car parks and spaces near the museum.
Amenities & dining
The museum is closed while a new charity prepares its gradual reopening.
Events & venue rental
The museum is closed while a new charity prepares its gradual reopening.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Services for schools, families and researchers that Moray Council once offered have stopped while the museum is closed. |
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