Cromarty Museum is bringing its historic photographs of the town’s fishing community to life in a new digital walking tour, Fisherfolk of Cromarty. Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the free experience uses historic photographs, local stories and digital technology to take visitors back to the streets of Cromarty at the beginning of the 20th century.
Fisherfolk of Cromarty is one of four digital commissions developed through the Highlands and Islands Digital Heritage Network, a project devised and developed by Museums and Heritage Highland and The Space, bringing together nine rural museums to explore new ways of using digital technology to share their collections and connect with audiences.
The experience uses photographs taken by local photographer Willie John Smith between 1903 and 1910, bringing them into the modern streetscape through a smartphone-based experience. Visitors can follow a nine-stop route through Fishertown, across the Links and down to the harbour, listening to short audio stories along the way.
The photographs offer a fascinating glimpse into everyday life in Cromarty’s fishing community – from working on the boats and preparing the catch to the often-overlooked work of the women who supported the fishing industry.
The stories also include reflections and memories from local people, helping to connect the historic photographs with the Cromarty of today.
We’ve been particularly interested in what digital can offer museums with small teams and limited resources. The aim isn’t simply to create something “digital”, but to find approaches that make sense for each museum, its collections and its communities.
Cromarty Museum’s project is a great example of this. Rather than keeping historic photographs inside the museum, the experience takes them back out into the town and puts them in conversation with the places they depict.
It also means that people who can’t visit Cromarty can explore the experience online, opening up the collection to remote audiences, students and researchers.
For Cromarty Museum, this is an opportunity to try something new with an important local collection while the museum works towards its wider redevelopment.
For us, it’s also a great example of what the Highlands and Islands Digital Heritage Network is about: giving rural museums the opportunity to explore new ideas, work with creative digital partners and find new ways to connect people with the heritage on their doorstep.
Fisherfolk of Cromarty launches on Monday 24 August and is free to explore.
Visitors can download the tour using the free Wi-Fi in the Cromarty Museum courtyard before setting off.
There is also a desktop version for anyone who can’t make it to Cromarty in person.
Find out more and explore Fisherfolk of Cromarty on the Cromarty Museum website.
The Highlands and Islands Digital Heritage Network is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players for helping make this project possible.
The network is delivered by Museums and Heritage Highland and The Space, working with nine museums across the Highlands and Islands.