Heritage

Timespan Museum in Helmsdale first opened in 1987 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. Now regarded as a must-see visitor’s destination, Timespan was a finalist in 2021 for the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year, the world’s largest museum prize.

Timespan tells the local and social history of the parish and people, from the sea and river mouth, upstream and inland to the Strath of Kildonan. Helmsdale’s story includes the boom and bust of the herring fishing industry; the dark historic period of change of the Highland Clearances; the brief but feverish 1869 gold rush; Pictish mythology and the Borrobol Stone; and the history of domestic making and craft essential for the parish’s agriculture and fishing industries. The history is told through a tapestry of local stories, historical objects, archival images, mythology and virtual interactive displays, and is contextualised within a wider national and global history. The history of Helmsdale is one of remarkable resilience and an intimate enduring relationship with ancient land and sea. Timespan also has an art gallery, gift shop, a lovely café and herb garden. You will want to visit this local treasure frequently.