Image, courtesy of the Laing Photographic Collection

Making the new Cateran Ecomuseum

We are now working on to the next stage of our programme plans, and they are very exciting! The Cateran’s Common Wealth team are collaborating with a group of local people who live and work in this area to create The Cateran Ecomuseum – a museum in the landscape, without walls, open 24/7, set in the environs of Cateran Country. Check out their new website here.

Originating in France in the 1970’s, ecomuseums focus on the identity of a place with the term “éco” being a shortened form for “écologie”. They offer a much more holistic interpretation of cultural heritage, quite different from traditional museums which generally focus on specific items and objects in the confines of a building. Ecomuseums are also largely created and maintained though local participation and their aim is to enhance the welfare and development of local communities.

There are presently about 300 operating ecomuseums in the world; about 200 are in Europe, mainly in France, Italy, Spain, and Poland. There is only one other ecomuseum in Scotland, Ceumannan on Skye.

Pictish Warrior as imagined by the 16thc artist John White, British Museum print

The Cateran Ecomuseum will turn the environs of Cateran Country into a visitor destination that capitalises on its rich archaeological, cultural and natural heritage. Using all the amazing material that has been created through the Cateran’s Common Wealth programme so far via The Story Box, Common Ground and A Story of the Cateran Trail in 100 Objects, plus other materials held by local people and organisations, we will build digitally enhanced experiences of up to 100 sites of interest around Cateran Country which will enable visitors to:

• View pictures
• Watch videos
• Listen to other visitor stories
• Enjoy songs from the area
• Learn about the legends, heritage and history of Cateran Country
• Explore more with ancient and contemporary local maps
• Discover what lies buried beneath their feet
• Find nearby facilities e.g. local accommodation, hotels, camps sites, glamping, restaurants, cafes and tearooms.

The sites will be further curated into a set of suggested itineraries accessible via walking, cycling and car, and different themes that appeal to a broad range of interests, such as natural heritage, historical and archaeological sites of interests, stories, myths and legends.

The creation of The Cateran Ecomuseum is a huge opportunity to build on a new level of local energy and interest in the culture, history and heritage of Cateran Country enabled by the success of the Cateran’s Common Wealth launch programme and the constellation of local and regional initiatives that are all happening at the same time right now, namely:

• the rebranding of Eastern Perthshire as Cateran Country
• its proximity to the Cairngorms National Park, Dundee and Perth
• the attraction of existing tourism assets from golfing to adventure tourism, from the Cateran Trail to Perthshire Open Studios
• the success of other new initiatives such as Alyth Creates and the Cateran Sportive and the Snow Roads Scenic Routes
• the Dundee V&A and Waterfront development and the City’s whole emphasis on cultural tourism
• Perth City’s investment in cultural experiences

Image, courtesy of the Laing Photographic Collection

If you would like to talk to us about our plans or if you have an idea you would like to propose, please get in touch.

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“Art can bring us back to consciousness, sometimes quietly, sometimes dramatically, but the responsibility to act on what we find is ours.” Jeanette Winterson