West Highland Museum facts for kids
The West Highland Museum (Scottish Gaelic: Taigh-tasgaidh na Gàidhealtachd an Iar) is a special place that tells the amazing story of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. It shows you all sorts of things about the history of the West Highlands, including the town of Fort William where it's located. You can also see exhibits about old archaeology and local wildlife.
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History of the Museum
The West Highland Museum was started in 1922 by a person named Victor Hodgson. He collected many interesting items and books. At first, he showed them in a public reading room. In 1925, people helped raise money. The next year, part of the building where the museum is now, in Cameron Square, was bought. Later, in the 1960s, another building next door was added. The museum building is very old and important in the town.
The museum stopped charging for entry in 2011. This made many more people want to visit! In 2010, about 9,000 people visited. The next year, after it became free, over 31,000 people came. By 2019, more than 60,000 people visited each year. The museum welcomed its millionth visitor between 1979 and 2014. Today, about 40 volunteers help run the museum, along with a few paid staff members.
What You Can See
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The museum has eight rooms spread across three floors. It has a huge collection of items about the Jacobites. These were people who supported Bonnie Prince Charlie long ago. One special item is an 18th-century "secret portrait" of the Prince. Victor Hodgson found it in a shop. It looks like random marks, but when you look at it through a special cylinder mirror, you can see the Prince's face! This clever painting trick is called anamorphosis. People would hide the mirror to keep their loyalty a secret.
You can also see items from later royal times, like things given by Queen Victoria. These include special gifts she gave to her trusted servant, John Brown.
The museum also shows items from military history. It focuses on the Commando Basic Training Centre. This was a training camp set up during World War II near Spean Bridge. In 1936, when an old fort was being taken down, the museum received the wooden walls from the governor's room. They used these to create their own Governor's Room. This room also has a historical table from the town council of Fort William. It was used for a type of discipline called birching, which was last used in 1948. There's also a round, wooden table that might have belonged to Colonel John Hill. He was the governor of the fort during the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692.
The museum displays items collected by Alexander Carmichael. He was a Gaelic folklorist who gathered many old Highland stories and songs. You can also see a collection of bagpipes. Some are said to have been played at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Another pair is believed to have been given to Bonnie Prince Charlie. However, experts are not sure if these stories are true.
In November 2020, the museum got a new important painting. It's called Autumn in Knoydart by Sir David Young Cameron. He was a member of the museum during his lifetime. Cameron also helped raise money in 1928 for a special Jacobite copper plate. This plate was used to print bank notes for Bonnie Prince Charlie. The museum printed more notes from this plate in 2021 for its 100th birthday celebrations.
The Rough Guide travel book calls the museum "splendidly idiosyncratic." This means it's wonderfully unique and interesting!
Getting Around the Museum
Since the museum is in an old building, it can be a bit tricky for people who have trouble walking. But don't worry! There is a stairlift that helps many visitors get to both floors of the museum. This even helps some wheelchair users reach the upper floor.
How the Museum is Run
The West Highland Museum is run by a group called the West Highland Museum Trust. This trust started managing the museum on January 1, 2018. It is a registered charity, which means it's a non-profit organization that helps the community.
Awards and Recognition
In 2021, the museum received a special award called the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. This award recognizes the amazing work done by volunteers. The award was presented by Donald Cameron of Lochiel, a local dignitary.
Future Plans
The museum has exciting plans for the future! With help from the Scottish Land Fund, it recently bought a shop next door. It also owns an old barn behind the museum. The plan is to connect these buildings to the museum. This will create more space for new exhibits, storage for items, and areas for education and administration.
