Carn Chearsabhagh, a project based on the concept that Museums contain something for everyone, was developed by the North Uist Historical Society. For conservation reasons their main museum collection is stored 23 miles away on the neighbouring island of Benbecula and therefore this resulted in the need to create a community museum for the 21st century on the Society's home island of North Uist.

Taigh Chearsabhagh is an historic building given a new lease of life, which

contains a museum, two galleries, arts workshop, shop and café. Taigh Chearsabhagh comes together as a focus for life in North Uist giving experience of the arts, culture and heritage of the Outer Hebrides. It succeeds in combining community involvement with innovation in the arts and heritage, underpinned by a strong education programme.

The Carn Chearsabhagh exhibition, the most visible creation of the Project, was freshly curated by fourteen local groups – including youth and athletics clubs, a women’s group and local businesses - who each researched the history of a particular artefact from the museum collection store and how it related to their own community story.

Alongside the Carn Chearsabhagh exhibition, a programme of ten other temporary exhibitions, encouraging community ownership of local heritage, have been created in the last two years through the Project. An exciting education programme for both schools and adults is run alongside this to encourage more understanding and interest in the islands heritage and culture. There is involvement from the community at all levels with volunteers encouraged to participate in museum activities.

Taigh Chearsabhagh, which has around 30,000 visitors a year, has a full time staff of four, with seven part time staff and over 30 volunteers. The Carn Chearsabhagh Project received support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Scottish Museums Council and the local authority, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

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