Highland Village Museum

Their website describes themselves as "A living history museum and folklife centre that celebrates the story, language and living culture of Nova Scotia Gaels." It was surprisingly good. And not necessarily in a "bran cereal" kind of way. The grounds had 12 buildings, in addition to the visitor center, and each told part of the story of the Gaels' migration from the Highlands of Scotland to the Highlands of Nova Scotia. Several of them were attended by volunteer actors who described what life was like in the time period being represented, from the 1770's to the 1920's. Pretty cool.

I had a peaceful and unforgettable experience! Highland Village Museum is like walking through history. Each building tells a story, and the costumed guides make Gaelic culture come alive. The views over Bras d’Or Lake are stunning, and the atmosphere is calm and inspiring. A must-visit if you’re exploring Cape Breton or love heritage and nature combined.

What a hidden gem! We were visiting the maritimes with the intention to hike Cape Breton but the trail closures (due to fire risk) started a couple of days before we arrived so we had to change our plans. We spotted this museum on google maps and decided to visit. It was amazing. The actors, especially the lovely lady who was in the first stone house, made us feel like we traveled back in time and we learned a lot from her. Don’t just breeze through the museum; ask questions and be immersed! Aside from the history, the views were phenomenal.

What a fabulous find! This outdoor museum walks you through life in Scotland as the Gaels prepare to leave for Nova Scotia, then through early settlement and through the years until now. The people in costume and character were wonderful especially those speaking in Gaelic. It is a lovely way to spend a few hours in a beautiful part of Cape Breton

This was an absolute gem of a museum! It’s a living historical walk through the migration from Scotland to Cape Breton, with various time periods represented. The actors were all superb, especially the lovely lady at the start in the thatched roof hut.

Very boring, very strenuous to climb the hills but coming down the gravel is very loose and dangerous. Do not go if any problems with easy exertion or ambulation. Definitely not handicapped accessible.

Was looking for place to visit in the area to get a hike in and learn some history. My family and I had a great time travelling through the history of the peoples from Scotland and how they settled the area. There was a beautiful view of the Bras D’Or lake in the background to make it scenic as well. The staff was friendly and we even got to grab a quick lesson in Gaelic!

Absolutely outstanding! The dwellings from each highlighted time period, and the costumed actors interpreting that time and answering questions, were fascinating. For us the highlight was a ceilidh (visit), with fiddling, step dancing, story telling, and rich explantations of each. If you visit only one place in Cape Breton, this should be it!