Venture North
A photo showing the exterior of the Laidhay Croft museum, shows the thatch roofing on the building

Laidhay Croft Museum Exterior

The inside of the Laidhay Croft Museum, showing the restored and preserved interior decorations of the building.

Laidhay Croft Museum Interior

An old, worn book titled 'Wonder Tales for Girls' laid on a table with other toys in the Croft Museum.

An old book, from the Laidhay Croft Museum

An old bike hung from the rafters inside the Croft Museum.

A bike inside the Laidhay Croft Museum

A collection of old farming equipment, including cart wheels and a plough, along with two bikes and a full horse drawn cart inside the Croft Museum.

Old equipment in the Laidhay Croft Museum

The sign for the Laifhay Croft Museum, next to the A9 north of Dunbeath

Laidhay Croft Museum Sign

Laidhay Croft Museum

Just north of Dunbeath on the A9, Laidhay Croft Museum is a beautifully preserved 19th-century Caithness longhouse offering a vivid glimpse into traditional crofting life. The museum showcases how families lived and worked in rural Scotland, with original furnishings, farming tools, and a byre under the same roof.

Visitors can explore the main dwelling, a cruck-framed barn, and a modern shed housing agricultural equipment. The museum is packed with everyday objects, from box beds to peat-burning hearths, giving a real sense of the challenges and resourcefulness of crofting life. A tearoom next door offers a cosy spot to relax after your visit.

Good to Know

  • Location: Laidhay, Dunbeath, KW6 6EH; visible from the A9
  • Opening: Mid-April to September; approx. 1-hour visit
  • Admission: £3 adults, £1 children
  • Parking: Free, next to museum and tearoom
  • Accessibility: Wheelchair and pram accessible
  • Facilities: Tearoom with homemade cakes; toilets available
  • Photo Tip: Capture the thatched roof and whitewashed walls from the roadside; interior shots best in natural light
Get Directions
[email protected]