Kilmartin Museum and Kilmartin Glen

Overview

Kilmartin House Museum is worth visiting if you wish to gain a better understanding of the many archaeological sites and stone circles in Kilmartin Glen. The museum had a major redesign in 2023 to provide a more modern museum experience.

They have tried to make the museum experience more family-friendly with some interactive exhibits that encourage children to touch and explore, but there is still a lot of reading required and we don't think it will appeal much to younger children.

The Museum explains the history of the land and the people with a series of exhibits covering different themes. At the start of the exhibition, you learn about the archaeologists who investigated the Glen, and there is a useful interactive map that lets you appreciate the incredible volume and diversity of Neolithic monuments in this small area. 

Moving further back in time, the displays cover the links between early Christian sites and older Pagan ritual sites. 

The exhibition then has a display of artifacts discovered in Kilmartin Glen that cover a period from the Iron Age to Neolithic times.

For us, the highlight of the exhibition was the reconstruction of the face of a woman who lived in Kilmartin Glen some 4000 years ago. The face was recreated from 3D scans of a skull that was discovered in a disturbed grave at Upper Largie. The skeleton is also on display and forensic analysis of the remains has concluded that the woman was somewhere between 20 to 30 years old. Carbon dating places her burial as somewhere between 2120 and 1780 BC. 

The exhibition also features a short film which is very "Arty", but doesn't tell you anything much about Kilmartin. We think the idea behind this arty film is to convey something of the mysticism of the Pagan rituals that would have taken place here in Neolithic times. It only lasts a few minutes, but you can skip this bit if you're in a hurry.

If you have an interest in the archaeology of Kilmartin Glen, we would recommend that you visit the museum before driving the short distance down the A816 to see the stone circles and burial cairns at Templewood & Nether Largie.

Temple Wood Stone Circle and Nether Largie Cairn are reached via a triangular walk along a path that starts from a car park at the junction of the A816 and B8025. It only takes ~20 minutes to walk the route, but it can be a bit wet and muddy in places. It is also possible to drive quite close to the monuments so people with slight mobility problems should still be able to get access to the Temple Wood stone circle and Nether Largie cairns.

Nether Largie Cairns are interesting as the "burial chamber" is large enough to be entered, although you do need to remain in a crouched position.

Also nearby is Dunadd Fort, the site of the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada. Today it is just a small hill emerging from a flat and marshy plain. Not much remains that could be called a fort, but there are sections of the scramble up to the summit which are easy to identify as defendable entrance ways.

The most interesting aspect of Dunadd Fort is the footprint carved in a flat stone near the summit. It is thought that this footprint is where you would have placed your foot when being crowned "King of Dalriada". Have a go and see if it fits!

The cafe at Kilmartin Glen Museum is worth a special mention as it has a very attractive design with a lovely conservatory area featuring hand-carved wooden beams, wicker panels, and stone walls. It's a stylish place to stop for a snack.