A new series of virtual tours around historic buildings at the Highland Folk Museum launches this week.
The Newtonmore attraction has created a series of 360-degree digital tours as a new way to explore five of its unique buildings and the objects within.
The first of the historic buildings to discover is the Blackhouse, which launched on the Highland Folk Museum website on Tuesday (January 25).
Project Officer Helen Pickles:
“Virtual tours are a great way for us to present some of our most iconic buildings and collections.
“Each location can be enjoyed on different levels – online visitors might want to just to have a quick browse and get a feel for the buildings, or for those who want to dive deeper and learn about the history and stories hidden within, there is plenty of information to read, watch and absorb.
“With these tours, we’re able to present many of the original objects in context for the first time and highlight the stories that the objects tell about life in the past, and the people that made and used them.”
The five locations that will be featured are the Blackhouse, Knockbain School, Boleskine Shinty Pavilion, the Travellers’ Summer Encampment, and Lochanhully House – with a new building tour launched online each week.
The Museum has used the digital platform ThingLink to create the self-guided tours and can be viewed from anywhere in the world.
Helen added:
“The online experiences we have created are not there to replace a visit to the museum – which is due to open again for the season on April 1- we’re certain that it will only increase interest in what we have to explore here, and whet people’s appetite for returning to the site.”
With 360-degree photographs of the building interiors, visitors can look around and explore, with information and images appearing on tags around the building.
There is even a feature that allows the text to be read aloud or translated into numerous languages.
High Life Highland Board Director and Vice Chairman Mark Tate said:
“The Highland Folk Museum is already a major attraction and this fantastic project will enhance that.
“I doubt Isabel F. Grant would have conceived of our heritage being brought to life in this way when she started collecting and protecting items that told the social history of the Highlands back in the 1930s.
“Many of the items from the collection need to be kept in a dry, secure and stable environment but thanks to digital technology, we’re now able to showcase some of these very special objects in the buildings where they once would have belonged.”
The project has been funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, which is run by the Museums Association, funding projects that develop collections to achieve social impact.
Visit www.highlandfolk.com/explore to start the tour and step inside the Blackhouse.
Check back each week as the next four building tours are released.
