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The Falconer Museum

5 September 2026 (10:00 - 16:00)

Moray

In Person

It’s the dawn of a new era for the Falconer Museum in Forres! Founded in 1871 by Forres brothers, Alexander and Hugh Falconer, the museum is opening its doors to the public once again.

The Falconer Museum SCIO, the new charitable organisation that will oversee the museum's operation, was formally established in December 2025. We can’t wait for the Falconer Museum to reopen as a fun, friendly place where everyone can explore, learn, enjoy Scotland’s amazing heritage, get creative, care for nature, and discover more about the world from this wonderful 19th century building far into the future.

Come along to find out more about the upcoming plans, have a wander around the museum displays and chat with some of the volunteers. There will be lots of opportunities for volunteering going forward so if you live in Forres and this is something you are interested in; we will be collecting contact details on the day.

Items in Falconer's archaeology and natural history collections are nationally and even internationally significant. In addition, Sir Hugh Falconer’s life and work as a surgeon, an archaeologist, palaeontologist and botanist is a rich one. As a correspondent of Charles Darwin, Falconer was at the forefront of evolutionary theory and was active in collecting and identifying diverse species, some of which are named after him.

The Falconer Museum embodies this years theme as it is a heritage institution whose future has been threatened by closure. Community efforts to preserve and reopen the museum help revive local history and scientific heritage, resist the loss of an important cultural asset, and reimagine how museums can engage modern audiences through new partnerships, technologies, and community-led approaches.