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.

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.

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.

Whether on a guided tour or a self guided one, the period characters are knowledgeable about a difficult time in Scottish history and the time.we spent their was.very informative and enjoyable.

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.

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

Loved this place! The volunteer characters were really knowledgeable about their time period. Beautiful place. Only negative was the parking in a field of hay.

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!

Here's a place to take you back in time to learn and explore a sampling of the life of those who traveled from Scotland to start a life on Cape Briton. There are costumed and well-educated tour guide actors who will greet you in Gaelic and share what life was like in the new land. Seeing, hearing, and sometimes tasting as you climb around the steep hills of the village. The views are incredible! We were lucky and it was a very sunny day! Take the time to really walk, explore, and ask questions.

What a great historical village! You will find houses set up as they would have been back in the Scottish Highland before the migration to Nova Scotia as well as what the homes would have looked like through the 1800's. There were also several other buildings, such as a Blacksmith shop, General Store and school. There was a person in each home/building in character dress who not only spoke Gaelic but also could tell you anything you can image about the time period relating to the Scots. All of the "characters" are descended from the Highland Scots who settled in the area. This place was fascinating and really cool.

With our Family Scottish heritage, we anticipated this would be a good primer on early Canadian Settlers from there. It was about an hour drive from the Port of Halifax, but we took on of the cruise ship tours so we didn't have to arrange this tour on our own. We were delighted to find this was a living history museum. We were greeted in Gaelic and given an overview (in English) of what we were about to see. Most of the buildings were moved to the location from elsewhere and created a time line of everyday life from the 1770 to 1920. The exception was the original log cabin which deteriorated over time and was replaced with a replica. Each building had one or more volunteers or museum employees dressed in period garb to greet visitors to each period in time. They had a narrative but seemed pleased to get other questions and happily responded. Baking was taking place in one home and the "farmer" answered many questions about his work placing new siding on the barn, as well as about the many animals there. The village is on a hill looking over Bras d Or Lake with simply stunning views. Come prepared to walk, but we also were treated to cookies and tea in the museum store. This was SO much more than we had expected and a lovely learning opportunity we won't forget and are glad we can talk about with our family!

Really neat way to set up a "museum" - make it a living museum! This village is set up so you can walk through time. It's nice and spread out, so come ready to walk. In each different stop there's someone there to walk you through what life was like in their respective times, what the houses would have looked like and been made out of, what kind of work they would do, etc. The individuals are dressed in the era, too, so it feels authentic. They have animals that they tend to which also adds some authenticity. It's also affords such an AMAZING view of the Barra Strait and the Bras d'Or Lake.

Saw the one other review on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Wasn't expecting much but was very pleasantly surprised. What a great place to spend the afternoon. Kids and parents learned new stuff through interesting stories told by the actors and walking through the village. My 13-year old said she had an amazing time and loved the progression through the years.