Inverness Museum and Art Gallery facts for kids

The Inverness Museum and Art Gallery is a cool place to visit in Inverness, Scotland. It's located on Castle Wynd in the beautiful Highlands. You can explore its amazing collections for free! High Life Highland helps manage the museum for the Highland Council.

The Inverness Museum and Art Gallery building.

Early Museums in Inverness

Where Did the Collections Start?

Did you know that the idea for a museum in Inverness began a long time ago? In 1825, a group called the Northern Institute started a museum. It was on Inglis Street.

However, they didn't have enough money to keep it going. So, in 1834, the collection moved. It went to the Inverness Royal Academy.

Later, in the 1860s, the collection moved again. It ended up in the Mechanics Institute. Finally, it moved to the town hall. Sadly, many items were lost during these moves.

History of the Current Museum

When Did the Museum Open?

People wanted a new, proper museum for Inverness. Plans for it started in 1873. The new museum officially opened on October 11, 1881. It was located in Exchange Place.

What Kind of Collections Did It Have?

The museum quickly started to focus on the Highlands. It also collected items about the Jacobites. The Jacobites were supporters of the Stuart royal family.

One important early gift was a set of old Stuart family portraits. These were given by the family of Prince Frederick Duleep Singh. One painting was of Prince Charles Edward Stuart. It is thought to be by Pompeo Batoni. There was also a painting of Cromwell. Prince Freddy famously hung this one upside down!

Later, the museum added more art. It got Highland landscape paintings. These were by famous Scottish artists. Some of them were Alexander Nasmyth, John Quinton Pringle, and Tom Scott.

Modern Updates and Changes

The area around Castle Wynd was changed in 1963. This is where the museum is now. The current museum building was built then.

Since 1963, the museum has been improved twice. The first big update was in 1982. They added a café and new galleries. These new spaces were for permanent displays. They also had areas for temporary art shows.

The museum closed for six months in 2006. It had a big £1.3 million makeover! The new design was ready for Highland 2007. This was a special year celebrating Highland culture.

What Can You See Inside?

The museum shows the history of the Highlands. It's like a journey through time!

On the ground floor, you can see displays about Scottish geology. This is about the rocks and land. There are also exhibits on natural history. You can learn about animals and plants. Plus, there's a section on the archaeology of the Highlands. This includes ancient Pictish stones.

Upstairs, on the first floor, you'll find more recent history. There are items from the Jacobite period. You can also see old Inverness silver. There are displays of Highland weapons and bagpipes. The first floor also has changing temporary exhibitions. These shows feature different art or historical topics.

The Inverness Puma

This puma was captured in Inverness-shire in 1980. After it died, it was stuffed and placed in the Museum.

In 1980, something very unusual happened. A puma was caught in Inverness-shire! People think it was a pet that someone had abandoned. The puma was then taken to a wildlife park. When it passed away, it was stuffed. Now, you can see it on display at the museum! It's a very unique part of the collection.