Where are we now?
Càit a bheil sinn a-nis?
When it opens in 2025, the castle will have been transformed into a world-class attraction for visitors and locals. The refurbished buildings will have new areas for eating and drinking, shopping, and for learning more about the extraordinary landscape, heritage, culture and people of the Highlands. See here for more details of how the building may look in future.
The grounds on the esplanade will be transformed into a fantastic new green space that can be enjoyed throughout the year, as well as providing a perfect location for beautiful views of the river, the outlook to Loch Ness, and Ben Wyvis to the north.
Inside the castle, the Highland tradition of the seanchaidh – the storyteller – will be prominent, with stories collected and being told from all over the region. The area has so many stories to tell – capturing the essence of the region’s unique landscape, heritage, culture and people, while looking to the future too and the ways in which the Highlands and Islands can lead in areas such as green energy, community land development, and cultural growth rooted in local communities.
Work on the development of the castle is due to be complete and the new attraction open to visitors in 2025. Watch this space and we’ll keep you up to date!
Catch up on the latest progress updates in the transformation of Inverness Castle Experience, starting with an interview guided by Jason Kelman, Project Manager:
The Rose Window (created in 1867) will become a focal feature within the interior design for the new visitor attraction. Watch the meticulous process of the window being carefully deconstructed in the careful hands of experts from Iona Art Glass, specialists in restoring stained glass.
As part of the transformation, the former courthouse (south tower) and prison building (north tower) will be linked by a new restaurant area for the Inverness Castle Experience. Watch it start to come together below:
The external elevations of Inverness Castle Experience are being carefully restored and conserved. Watch the restoration to the south and west façades (facing the esplanade and the river) being slowly revealed as the scaffolding is removed:
A video of the works that occurred to May 2021 can be seen below:
The transformation of Inverness Castle began in 2020. A fly through of the castle before the work began can be seen in the link below.