Plans unveiled for £8m redevelopment of Highland museum

Plans have been unveiled for an £8 million redevelopment of a popular Highland museum and arts centre in Helmsdale. The Timespan at Helmsdale, opened in 1987 on the east coast of Sutherland, is preparing for expansion designed to broaden its role as a home for local and social history. Its extensive archive covers major regional stories, including the boom and bust of the herring fishing industry, the Highland Clearances, the 1869 gold rush and the final execution connected with accusations of witchcraft in Sutherland. The museum also highlights links with Scotland’s first astronaut, David Mackay, who grew up in Helmsdale and has donated a local stone taken to space. Fundraising for the redevelopment project is already underway.