Glencoe Folk Museum

About the museum

Glencoe Folk Museum grew from a village competition in the 1960s that asked people to write the history of their community. Two of the women involved, Barbara Fairweather and Rae Grant, found that little had been recorded about everyday life in the past and set out to start a museum with no building and no collection. They raised money through ceilidh dances and bake sales, obtained a small cottage in the village, and gifts of objects from local people began to arrive.

In 1971 the present site was given to the museum, and it opened there in 1972. The main museum is in two cottages from the early 1800s; the western one is older and has a cruck frame, in which the roof timbers rest on the inner walls. The cottages were derelict and facing demolition before they were saved and restored, and they were thatched again with heather, as was traditional in the area.

The collection covers local history and daily life, with Jacobite relics, costumes, paintings, toys, photographs and domestic items, plus medals and uniforms from the two world wars. Well-known features include the Massacre Room, a Clan Donald genealogy chart, the Stuart Chair and the Ballachulish Goddess. The museum is a Scottish charity and is closed for redevelopment, with reopening planned for 2027.

Highlights

• Heather-thatched cottages from the early 1800s, one with a cruck frame
• Massacre Room on the Massacre of Glencoe
• Clan Donald genealogy chart
• Jacobite relics, costumes and toys
• Online Highland Threads costume exhibition

Permanent exhibition

• Glencoe Folk Museum collection – Everyday objects, Jacobite relics, costumes and war memorabilia from Glencoe and the surrounding area; closed during redevelopment.

Founded

1966

Operated by

Glencoe Folk Museum (Scottish charity SCIO)

Admission & discounts

The museum is closed for redevelopment and plans to reopen in 2027.

Accessibility

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

Based on the museum's accessibility report for the reopened site: the main entrance off Main Street is step-free, but the door to the rest of the site has a small step. Most of the site is on one level, with uneven floors and ground. The Massacre Room is too small to turn a wheelchair and the door to the Grant Room is low and narrow, and the Daily Life gallery is reached by a slope with no turning space. Seating is available, large-print guides are being prepared, and quiet visits can be arranged in advance. There are no toilets on site; the nearest accessible toilet is at the public car park, about 5 minutes' walk away.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum has run craft activities and other family events, and its website has a Fun at Home section.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the centre of Glencoe village just off the A82; follow the brown tourist signs.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Wi-Fi

Small gift shop; free Wi-Fi is stated on the visitor page. Dogs are welcome.

Events & venue rental

The museum is closed for redevelopment and plans to reopen in 2027.

Plan your visit