PICTURES: Inverness Castle visitor experience aims to amaze, say designers Mather & Co as initial concept designs revealed
Portraits of Highlanders telling their own stories, glowing standing stones and moments from history are set to be part of the experience at Inverness Castle following its transformation into a world-class visitor attraction for the Highlands.
With work now under way on the multi-million pound project, the initial concept designs for the gardens and South Tower have been revealed.
Using the very latest technology, designers Mather & Co say their aim is to excite the senses with full 360-degree immersion through audio, interactive and digital means.
The company been involved in designing of some of the world's most successful exhibitions, visitor attractions, tours and museums including the Gretna Green Experience, Downton Abbey: The Exhibition, the Ultimate Lap at the Silverstone Experience, the Royal Mint Experience; and the R&A World of Golf Museum in St Andrews.
The Inverness Castle Visitor Experience is expected to open to the public in early 2025 when people will experience the Spirit of the Highlands through stories of Landscape (Cruth-tìre), Heritage (Dualchas), Culture (Cèilidh) and Community (Coimhearsnachd).
Chief executive Chris Mather said: "We want visitors to be amazed and surprised by the incredible stories collected and to be inspired to step out into the Highlands to find and create their own stories.
"We are very excited to be able to share with people some of the designs which are going to make Inverness Castle a first-class and compelling destination attraction.
"Our work aims to showcase the rich heritage of the Highlands as well as the Castlehill itself."
Guided with traditional Scottish storytelling, visitors will connect to Highland stories through a series of themed immersive rooms, where they can walk through forests, gather round the fire for story time, join in a cèilidh, and witness iconic moments of Highland history.
The stories have been crowd sourced from across the Highlands, capturing the spirit of the region’s past, present and future, showcasing people’s accounts of the region.
One feature will be the historic rose window saved from the former Methodist church in Inglis Street when the Eastgate Shopping Centre was built.
It will form part of the backdrop for the Seanchaidh – or storyteller – who will appear as an audio-visual projection or live actor, weaving their storytelling magic.
Director of the Inverness Castle project Fiona Hampton said: "Mather & Co have really brought their creativity, experience and innovation to the project.
"Their approach will consider the whole experience of the visitor, including what people see and interact with before, during and after their visit, to make sure that everyone who visits the castle has an incredible time and can’t wait to return."
The Inverness Castle project will benefit from £30 million investment to support its re-development from the Scottish and UK Governments, Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a range of other partners.
The castle project is part of the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, which is a joint initiative supported by up to £315 million investment from the UK and Scottish governments, Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and University of the Highlands and Islands, aimed at stimulating sustainable regional economic growth.
Pictures: Stripped-back interior of Inverness Castle revealed
