A new look at the design work on Glencoe Folk Museum’s £1.3m lottery-funded redevelopment has been revealed.
Set within traditional 18th century heather-thatched cottages, the museum in western Scotland holds over 6,000 artefacts and chronicles daily life in the Glencoe area between the 17th and 21st centuries.
Peter Drummond Architects and exhibition designers Mather & Co are working with staff and the local community on the redevelopment, scheduled to open in 2023.
The redevelopment will include the erection of a new building at the back of the Museum’s historic listed cottages. The space will create a new reception area, gift shop and exhibition space.
A new projection and audio feature, placing visitors in a MacDonald cottage on the night of the infamous 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, is also to be added as part of a new exhibition designed to bring to life the personal stories of the Massacre and give a clear understanding of the religious, political, and cultural environment that allowed such an atrocity to take place.
The redevelopment will also restore the Museum’s listed 18th century cottages, the only surviving genuine heather-thatched structures in the area. Funding from the Pilgrim Trust has been secured to renew the thatch and help the Museum ensure its long-term preservation. It is planned to complement this traditional natural roof with a new “living” roof on the extension.
“Behind the scenes we’re busy researching, choosing artefacts and gathering stories. We’ve also been running community consultation sessions – we really want our museum to reflect the community that created it so it’s important to us that we are sharing as many local voices as possible,” said Curator Catriona Davidson.
“We’ve been talking about this project since I started working here over five years ago, so it’s really exciting to finally be able to share our plans as everything comes together! Behind the scenes we’re busy researching, choosing artefacts and gathering stories.
“We’ve also been running community consultation sessions – we really want our museum to reflect the community that created it so it’s important to us that we are sharing as many local voices as possible.”
