Grantown Museum is bringing a centuries-old Highland mystery into the modern spotlight with The Legend of the Highland Skull – a new exhibition, animated film and four-part investigative podcast exploring the story behind a human skull held by the Grant family for more than 160 years.
The project begins with a simple question: is this the skull of legend? Passed down through the Grant family for more than 160 years, could this skull really be connected to a centuries-old Highland story?
Accompanying the skull is a letter, written in 1857, which links it to a dramatic tale of love, clan rivalry and a deadly encounter in Strathspey. According to the legend, the skull belonged to a chieftain who met his fate during the story – but how much of the tale is true, and what might modern science reveal about the remains?
Now, Grantown Museum Curator Dan Cottam is investigating whether there is any truth behind the legend.
The heart of the project is a four-part investigative podcast produced by Jac Phillimore. It follows Dan as the investigation unfolds, documenting the discoveries, questions and surprises along the way, as he consults forensic scientists and osteologists at Surgeons’ Hall Museums and the University of Edinburgh, exploring what modern bioarchaeological science might be able to tell us about the remains. Listeners can follow the investigation as it happens, with the final episode revealing the scientific results to Lord Reidhaven.
It is a different way of sharing museum research – turning the process of investigation itself into a story and inviting audiences to follow along as the evidence emerges.
The podcast is accompanied by an animated short film directed by BAFTA Scotland winner Cat Bruce, an Edinburgh-based animator – although she knows the area well having grown up around Strathspey. Drawing on the landscapes and folklore of Strathspey, the film brings the medieval story to life, incorporating visual inspiration from the margins of ancient manuscripts and their fantastical creatures.
Alongside the film and podcast, The Legend of the Highland Skull will be presented as an exhibition at Grantown Museum, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the story and the investigation in person.
The project also provides an opportunity to consider how we approach the study and interpretation of human remains. And the care and responsibility involved in investigating a real person at the heart of a centuries-old story.
Throughout the investigation, Grantown Museum is balancing scientific enquiry with the ethical and curatorial responsibilities involved in studying and interpreting human remains. The project places respect, dignity, context and historical sensitivity at the heart of the investigation.
For Dan, the story goes beyond the legend itself. It is about exploring the meeting point between myth, oral tradition, family history and modern bioarchaeology – while remembering that the object at the centre of the story was once a human being.
The Legend of the Highland Skull is one of the projects developed through the Highlands and Islands Digital Heritage Network, a pilot led by Museums and Heritage Highland and The Space, with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery Players.
The network brings together nine rural museums to explore how digital approaches can help safeguard collections, develop new skills and share local stories with global audiences.
For Grantown Museum, this project offers a chance to take a fascinating local story beyond the museum walls and experiment with a different form of digital storytelling. The podcast allows audiences to follow the investigation wherever they are, while the animation offers a new visual interpretation of a story that has been passed down for generations.
It is also a reminder that digital innovation doesn’t have to mean moving away from a museum’s collections or communities. In this case, it starts with an object held by a local family, a story rooted in Strathspey and a museum willing to ask: what can we discover if we investigate it?
The Legend of the Highland Skull exhibition opens at Grantown Museum on 7 September 2026, with the four-part podcast released weekly from 4 September.
Episode 1 – 4 September
Episode 2 – 11 September
Episode 3 – 18 September
Episode 4 – 25 September
You can find links to the animation and podcast on the Grantown Museum website. As well as to their newsletter to help you keep up to speed with developments.
