Tarbat Discovery Centre

About the museum

The Tarbat Discovery Centre occupies the former parish church of St Colman at Portmahomack on the Tarbat peninsula. The church was first built as a simple structure in the twelfth century on the ruins of a graveyard of Pictish monks. It was enlarged in the fourteenth century, when a crypt was added, and remodelled in the eighteenth century into its present T-shape. It served the community until the Disruption of 1843 and closed for worship in 1946.

In 1980 local residents founded the trust that is now the Tarbat Historic Trust to save the abandoned church. An aerial photograph led the University of York to excavate the site, and the work revealed an eighth-century monastery that was also a centre for stone carving and learning. The building was dedicated as the Tarbat Discovery Centre in 1999.

The museum now shows the Pictish carvings, fragments of standing stones and finds from the dig, as well as moulds and tools used by the monks. A treasury holds the most important finds and displays on a Viking silver hoard. Visitors can go into the crypt, the oldest part of the building, where the Dragon Stone was found. The St Colman's Gallery shows the Stories on Skins project, which recreates pages of early manuscripts with eighth-century techniques. Children can dig for finds in an archaeology pit.

Highlights

• Pictish stone carvings and standing-stone fragments over 1,200 years old
• Treasury with finds from the excavated monastery
• Crypt, the oldest part of the church, where the Dragon Stone was found
• Stories on Skins display on recreated early manuscripts
• Archaeology pit for children aged 4 to 12

Permanent exhibitions

• Pictish Treasury and carved stones – Pictish carvings, fragments of standing stones and finds from the excavation of the early Christian monastery beneath and around the church.
• Stories on Skins – A display in St Colman's Gallery on a project that recreates pages of early manuscripts using eighth-century techniques.

Founded

1999

Operated by

Tarbat Historic Trust

Admission & discounts

Members of the Tarbat Historic Trust enter free. School groups can visit free of charge.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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 main entrance has step-free access along a gravel path. A lift serves all levels except the crypt, which is reached by narrow stairs. An accessible toilet is on the ground level. Assistance dogs are allowed inside.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

The Stones and Bones Pit is an archaeology dig for children aged 4 to 12, who search for Pictish and medieval finds with a special trowel. Craft workshops and storytelling sessions for children are also advertised; the family pages date from 2024.

Getting there & parking

Portmahomack is a few miles from the North Coast 500 route.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit