Strathnaver Museum

About the museum

Strathnaver Museum opened in 1976 in the former parish church of Farr, at Clachan to the east of the village of Bettyhill, between Farr Bay and the A836. It tells the story of about 8,000 years of human settlement in north-west Sutherland, with a particular focus on the Highland Clearances of the early 19th century, when people were evicted from the straths. The great pulpit of 1774 still dominates the main room, and it was from here that eviction notices were read out in 1819.

The collection grew from domestic and working items from the old province of Strathnaver and has been extended by donations, museum-led research and archaeological finds. Highlights include the Chealamy beaker, a Bronze Age burial vessel found by road workers in 1981, a croft house display with a box bed, a roof truss made from the hull of a ship wrecked at Strathy in 1858, and the unusual dogskin buoy. The Implement Room holds peat-cutting tools, farm implements and early Christian carved stones.

On the upper floor the Clan Mackay Centre presents the history of the Mackays, with memorabilia and donated family histories. The museum also runs temporary exhibitions in its annex and upper gallery, artist residencies and heritage projects, and publishes trail guides and booklets about the area.

Highlights

• Highland Clearances and Strathnaver history
• Bronze Age Chealamy beaker
• Croft house display with box bed
• Clan Mackay Centre with memorabilia and family histories
• Pulpit of 1774 in the former Farr parish church
• Dogskin buoy

Permanent exhibitions

• Main room, croft house and implement room – Domestic and working objects from Strathnaver, including a croft house with box bed, the Chealamy beaker, peat-cutting tools, farm implements and early Christian carved stones.
• Clan Mackay Centre – The Mackay Room on the upper floor tells the story of Clan Mackay with memorabilia and donated family histories.

Founded

1976

Admission & discounts

Individual Friends membership costs 10 pounds and gives unlimited entry for 12 months.

Accessibility

• Partially 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: no information

The annex is fully accessible. The main building is partially accessible and there is no wheelchair access to the first floor because of the historic building. Accessible parking is in the overflow car park behind the museum, signposted and shared with the Farr Bay Inn. A fully accessible toilet is in the reception of the main building. An audio-visual virtual guide for the lower-ground gallery and first floor is available from reception. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the museum.

Kids & families

The museum's Family Corner offers learning activities for children, including What use is Nature? topics, a make-your-own Melness shoe activity and a lockdown diary project, and the Museum of the Highlands online resource.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the former church at Clachan, east of Bettyhill village, between Farr Bay and the A836. There is an electric vehicle charging point in the village car park opposite the Bettyhill Hotel.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Clachan Café on the roadside in front of the museum serves refreshments and snacks. The museum shop sells local crafts, books, booklets and CDs.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit