THE National Trust for Scotland’s Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Centre has begun the year with an important boost.

The site has been awarded coveted museum accreditation status by Museums Galleries Scotland, the national development body for the museum sector in Scotland.

It has taken about one year to achieve and means that the battlefield site can now make claim to any archaeological discoveries found on the site. Previously, any archaeological have been managed by Highland Council.

The visitor centre, which stands beside the battlefield, features artefacts from both the Jacobite and Hanoverian forces and interactive displays that reveal the background to the 1746 battle and explain its complexities and tragedy.

Raoul Curtis-Machin, NTS operations manager at Culloden, said: “This is a magnificent achievement for Culloden Battlefield and the team here is absolutely thrilled with the news. We are always working towards a vision where Scotland’s heritage is valued by everyone and protected for future generations and this is a significant step forward in achieving that.”

Culloden is the ninth Trust property to attain accredited status. The others are Pollok House in Glasgow, Broughton House in Edinburgh; Culross Palace in Fife; Brodick Castle on Arran; Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire; House of Dun in Angus; the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, South Ayrshire; and Hugh Miller’s Cottage in Cromarty.

Raoul added: “This accreditation will help us to raise standards of collections management, which involves the development, storage, and preservation of our collection, and provide important access to funding for our visitor facilities. This is vital as we progress our plans to protect the landscape of Culloden Moor for future generations.”

“We hope this accreditation will help us to encourage visitors to connect with the things that make Scotland unique, through our exhibition, our guided battle tours, and our fascinating events programme.

“We are open all year and our dedicated team of staff and volunteers all do what we do for the love of Scotland, knowing that we are helping to protect it for future generations.”