Museum of the Isles
Museum at Armadale on Skye telling the story of Clan Donald and the Highlands over 1,500 years, with gardens and castle ruins on the same site.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museum of the Isles is part of the Armadale site at Sleat on the Isle of Skye, together with the gardens and the ruins of Armadale Castle. It holds the collections owned and cared for by the Clan Donald Lands Trust and tells the story of Clan Donald, Scotland's largest clan, within some 1,500 years of Highland history from the time of the Picts.
The galleries begin with the Lordship of the Isles, the dynasty founded by Somerled, and continue through the Jacobite risings and the changing role of the clan chief in the 17th and 18th centuries. Further galleries on crofting and emigration show everyday life in Skye and the Highlands and the hardships that led many people to leave. The objects range from Viking boat timbers and stone carvings to broadswords, dirks, pistols and bagpipes.
The museum stands in the grounds of Armadale Castle, whose gardens were laid out by Lord Macdonald in the early 19th century and whose house was remodelled in 1815 by the architect James Gillespie Graham. The castle ruins are currently fenced off because of their unstable condition. The trust also holds a library and archive of records of the historic Macdonald Estate.
Highlights
- Story of Clan Donald and the Lordship of the Isles
- Viking boat timbers, broadswords and dirks
- Crofting and emigration galleries
- Audio guide in seven languages included in the ticket
- Cinema room and museum shop
- 40 acres of gardens on the same site
Permanent exhibitions
- Lordship of the Isles and Clan Donald – The rise of Clan Donald from the dynasty of Somerled, through the Jacobite period and the changing role of the chief.
- Crofting and emigration – Life and traditions in Skye and the Highlands and the hardships that drove many people to emigrate.
- Founded
- 1984
- Operated by
- Clan Donald Lands Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £14 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £12.50Visitors aged 65 and over, students with ID and disabled visitors |
| Children & teens | £8free up to age 4 · Children aged 5 and over; under-5s are free. |
| Seniors | £12.50Aged 65 and over. |
| Visitors with disabilities | £12.50companion free · Disabled visitors receive concession tickets. |
| Students & apprentices | £12.50With student ID. |
| Families | £38Two adults and up to three children. |
Prices are for the combined visit to the museum and gardens. Day passes, season passes and family passes are available, tickets are sold at the ticket office and booking ahead is not needed, and there are reduced rates for local residents and accommodation guests.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description
The museum, ticket office, shop and Stables Cafe are all on one level, with accessible toilets in the museum and the Stables. Three disabled parking bays are near the entrance, and the ticket office can arrange extra spaces. The main garden routes are suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, with seating along the way; the garden has uneven ground. Assistance dogs are welcome everywhere, including the museum. Carers go free. An audio guide in English for visually impaired visitors is included with the ticket.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £38 · Two adults and up to three children. |
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
Children's trails for different ages from pre-school upwards and an object-hunt sheet are available, and the museum has an activity area with books, toys and dressing up. An adventure playground with a picnic area is in the gardens, and there are baby changing facilities in the museum and the Stables. The gardens have unfenced ponds and uneven ground.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Armadale ferry terminal · 10-min walk
Trains run from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh and from Glasgow to Mallaig via Fort William. CalMac ferries cross from Mallaig to Armadale in 25 minutes, and local Stagecoach buses connect with some trains and ferries.
By car
Parking available
A car park with bike racks is at the entrance, and three disabled bays are between the Stables Cafe and the ticket office.
- Accessible parking
By car, cross the Skye Bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh (about 20 miles on the A87 and A851) or take the ferry from Mallaig. Armadale is 16 miles south of Broadford; follow signs for Armadale and the ferry on the A851. From the ferry terminal the entrance is about a 10-minute walk or a 2-minute drive.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
The Stables Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and snacks daily from 09:30 to 16:00, and a bar opens from Friday to Sunday. The ticket office has a gift shop and the museum has its own shop with heritage pieces and clan-inspired accessories.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Audio guide | yes (EN, GD, DE, FR, ES, IT) |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Most visitors spend between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours in the museum. Audio guides in English, Gaelic, German, French, Spanish and Italian are included with the ticket. A cinema room shows a film on the museum's story. |
