The West Highland Museum has secured funding from Museums Galleries Scotland to develop new approaches to income generation and strengthen the museum’s long-term sustainability. The two-year project will focus on researching and developing opportunities around group visits and retail, helping the museum build more resilient income streams while continuing to provide free access to its collections.
While the museum already receives enquiries from tour groups and operates a small retail offer, these areas have never been fully researched, planned or resourced. This project will allow the museum to better understand audience demand and develop these income streams in a more structured and sustainable way.
The £48,222 award has been made through the Museum Futures programme, a partnership initiative developed by the Scottish Government, Museums Galleries Scotland and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Backed by £4 million of Scottish Government funding, the programme supports museums across Scotland to innovate, collaborate and develop more sustainable ways of working so they can continue to protect and share Scotland’s heritage with communities and visitors.
Lucy Casot, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland, said:
“We’re delighted to support this project from West Highland Museum through the Museum Futures programme. Projects like this demonstrate exactly what the programme is designed to achieve – giving museums the time, resources, and confidence to explore new ways of working that strengthen their long-term sustainability.
“By taking a strategic approach to areas such as group visits and retail, the museum is utilising its unique collections and local partnerships to develop new income streams. This work will help ensure the museum can remain free to visitors, allowing everyone to continue to explore, learn from, and be inspired by the rich history of the Highlands and the stories held within the museum’s collections.”
The project will begin with a research and development phase, including audience and market research to better understand demand for group visits and retail products. The museum will also draw on visitor feedback, existing enquiry data and benchmarking with comparable museums. Specialist consultancy support will be brought in to provide advice on retail development, merchandising and marketing.
Building on this work, the second phase of the project will focus on implementation and testing. The museum will pilot a more structured group visits offer, including clearer booking processes and defined offers for tour operators, adult groups and special interest visitors. At the same time, the museum will develop and test a bespoke retail range inspired by the museum’s Jacobite and Gaelic collections, working with local makers where possible and strengthening storytelling within the shop.
Delivery of the project will be supported by a fixed-term Marketing and Income Development Coordinator, alongside increased capacity within the existing staff team to support retail development and volunteer coordination.
Iona MacLeod, Operations Manager at the West Highland Museum, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this funding from Museums Galleries Scotland. This support will allow us to carry out work that will have a hugely positive impact on the museum, helping us develop more sustainable ways of generating income while continuing to offer free access to our collections. We are very grateful for the support from MGS and are excited to begin this project.”
The project will run over two years, allowing the museum to test new approaches, review performance and audience response, and embed successful ways of working. By the end of the project, the museum aims to have developed stronger income streams, increased organisational capacity, and a more confident and sustainable approach to planning for the future.
