Museums and Galleries

The north Highlands has a rich cultural heritage. Visit some of the brilliant museums and heritage centres below to delve into the social and natural history of the Flows, giving you a greater understanding of the area.

Strathnaver Museum based in Bettyhill is in the heart of Mackay Country. Learn the stories of those that lived in the area, from the emergence of the Clan Mackay and brutality of the Highland Clearances, to crofting and peat cutting. The museum hosts a diverse range of objects depicting life in the north Highlands from prehistoric to more modern times, allowing you to discover the vibrant culture which stems from both Norse and Gaelic ancestry.

Timespan is a museum and art gallery in Helmsdale on the east coast of the Flow Country. In the museum, learn about social history, Highland Clearances and crofting through their collections which contain objects of archaeology, arts and crafts, natural history and social history. The art gallery hosts a range of exhibitions, We Move As A Murmuration is the current exhibition which delves into the entangled relationships between humans and birds.

Dunbeath Heritage Centre is a museum with changing exhibitions that focus on local heritage, archaeology and crofting. On the museum website, you can also find a map detailing the results of the Dunbeath Archaeological Survey and visit some of the sites which range from neolithic to post-medieval periods, illustrating the length of human settlement of Dunbeath Strath.

Visitor Centres

Visit one of the Visitor Centres below to learn more about the wider area, local businesses and activities. Each of the Centres has information on the Flow Country and staff available to answer your questions. Make sure to check opening hours, especially out of season.

The North Coast Visitor Centre on Thurso High St. is set across three floors and houses a permanent exhibition which uses the Museum’s Collection of objects to tell the story of the county of Caithness from the geological period known as the Devonian (about 416 to 359 million years ago) to the present day. Exhibitions of note include the Stones Room with locally unearthed Pictish artefacts, a thorough collection and investigation into local botanist and geologist Robert Dick, and a detailed look into the history of Dounreay, and it’s impact on Caithness culturally and socially.

Find the Ferrycroft Centre in Lairg on the shores of Loch Shin. The Information and Heritage Centre has games, displays and experiences for all ages, with a shop, garden and playpark, small cafe area and toilets.There are three separate display rooms covering “Water”, “Land” and “People” plus at times additional, temporary features (e.g. Local History Society). For the younger ones there is an animal hide and seek, colouring, “Nature Detective” questions and games.

Forsinard Flows Visitor Centre is accessible by train, car or bike. The Centre is based in the old Forsinard train station, here you can find an interactive exhibit which was produced as part of the Flows to the Future project. Learn about natural and cultural heritage of the Flow Country and the work being done to restore the blanket bog, before heading out onto one of the visitor trails: The Dubh Lochain Trail or the Forsinain Trail.