Aberdeenshire Council plans to invest around £20 million in a new 'Museum of Aberdeenshire' fifty miles away in Peterhead. While this is presented as a benefit to the whole region, it will centralise collections including objects and stories from Huntly.

That means the very things that define Huntly could be taken out of the town, permanently (they have already been sitting in a warehouse in Mintlaw sice 2011, since the original home in the Brander building was closed. The  building itself reportedly had 'limitations', but instead of upgrading it, the easier route was closure).

WHY THIS MATTERS

History isn’t just a collection of objects.

It’s place.
It’s identity.
It’s belonging.

Objects from Huntly Castle, the stories of George MacDonald, and the town’s industrial and cultural heritage mean more in Huntly than anywhere else.

Take them away, and you don’t just move artefacts, you weaken the town’s connection to its own story.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE CURRENT PLAN

We support investment in culture.
We support a regional museum.

But not if it hollows out the towns it represents.

Huntly’s museum has already been closed for years
Its collections are held centrally, not locally
This new plan risks making that loss permanent
At the same time, local consultations show a clear demand for a dedicated heritage space in Huntly and identify unused buildings that could house it.

THE REAL IMPACT

If this goes ahead without local investment:

Huntly residents will have to travel to see their own history
Local heritage becomes less visible — and less valued
The town loses footfall, tourism, and cultural presence
Future generations grow up disconnected from their own place
Once that connection is lost, it’s hard to rebuild.

WHAT WE’RE ASKING FOR

WE ARE NOT OPPOSING THE MUSEUM OF ABERDEENSHIRE.

We are asking for balance, fairness, and common sense.

We call on Aberdeenshire Council to:

Commit to a permanent heritage space in Huntly
Ensure Huntly collections are regularly displayed in Huntly
Invest in local venues identified in their own consultation
Work with the community on co-curated exhibitions
 

THE PRINCIPLE

Levelling up should not mean levelling down local identity.

A regional museum should add to towns like Huntly  not take away from them.

ACTION

If you take a town’s history out of the town… what’s left?

If you believe Huntly’s history should stay visible, accessible, and alive in Huntly...

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