Two of the Highlands’ best loved museums are coming together for a special celebration of history, heritage and the remarkable people who have helped preserve the region’s stories.

The Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore and Inverness Museum and Art Gallery will host an Anniversary Collections Conference at Inverness Town House on Friday 13 November, bringing historians, researchers and museum enthusiasts together for a day of discovery.

The occasion marks 90 years since Isabel F. Grant founded the Highland Folk Museum and 201 years since the collections of Inverness Museum and Art Gallery were established by the Northern Institution for the Promotion of Science and Literature.

It will also provide an opportunity to remember Lorna Cruickshank, High Life Highland’s Curatorial Manager, who died earlier this year after more than three decades of dedication to the heritage sector.

Securing support and funding for the conference was among the final projects she helped bring to fruition, making the gathering a particularly meaningful tribute to her work.

Helen Pickles, curator of collections at the Highland Folk Museum, said:

“We have had tremendous support for our programme of events and activities at the Highland Folk Museum this season and the conference will make a great finale to our anniversary year.”

Hosted by historian and heritage consultant Andrew Grant McKenzie, the conference will explore the extraordinary stories preserved in museum collections and how fresh research continues to reveal new details about Scotland’s past.

Inverness author Jennifer Morag Henderson will examine the lives of two remarkable collectors, gin heiress Emilie May Bowerbank and Hindu prince Frederick Duleep Singh, whose bequests helped establish Inverness Museum’s renowned Jacobite collection.

Researcher Rhona Ramsay will explore the material culture of Scotland’s Gypsy and Traveller communities, highlighting the importance of preserving their histories and ensuring their voices remain part of the wider heritage story.

Historian Lyndsay McGill will turn her attention to Inverness silver, examining how local craftsmanship reflected changing fashions and influences across Scotland.

Meanwhile, University of Glasgow researcher Nysa Loudon will discuss traditional textiles and basketry, drawing on Highland Folk Museum collections to explore what historic making techniques can teach us about sustainability today.

The conference will also give younger voices a platform, with members of the museums’ Young Curators Group sharing their involvement in Going Places, a project connecting museums in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Their work will contribute to a collaborative exhibition planned for 2027.

Kari Moodie, curator of collections at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, said:

“As life becomes more virtual, the role of museums in looking after our shared material culture becomes more vital.

“Our speakers will reflect on the research they have undertaken through the handling, examination and analysis of real artefacts and archives.

“This conference gives us a wonderful opportunity to share what they have learned and how their findings will inspire and inform our future collecting.”

Following the conference, guests can attend an evening reception at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

Visitors will be able to explore Beyond the Bedspread, an exhibition of quilts by Sheena Norquay, alongside a special display featuring objects connected to the day’s discussions.

The conference begins at 10am, with registration from 9.30am.

Tickets cost £30.94, including refreshments, lunch and the evening reception, with a reduced price of £15.74 for students and people on low incomes.

A digital ticket costing £11.25 will provide access to recordings of the talks after the event.

The conference promises to celebrate not only the objects preserved in Highland museums, but also the people whose curiosity, knowledge and dedication ensure their stories continue to be told.

For more information visit the booking page: Anniversary Collections Conference – Inverness Town House