Aberdeenshire Museums Service

17/10/2026

Happy International Day of Intangible Culture Heritage! Today we are highlighting the musical heritage of Aberdeenshire and the role of the Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection in preserving that heritage.

This collection was compiled between 1902 and WWI by schoolmaster Gavin Greig and Reverend James Bruce Duncan. They collected lyrics and tunes directly from 'ordinary folk' living and working in the North East. As native Doric speakers themselves, most of the songs and ballads are recorded in their original Doric or Scots. Greig and Duncan also documented different versions of many songs with variations in lyrics, tunes, and melodies.

Their work was so prolific that neither Greig nor Duncan lived to see their work published. A selection of their collected songs was published in 1925 under the title Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads and Ballad Airs collected in Aberdeenshire by the Late Gavin Greig. But it wasn't until the 1980s that the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh joined forces to edit and publish the collection. The 8th and final volume of the collection was published in 2002, 100 years after Greig and Duncan began their work.

Greig and Duncan compiled an archive of roughly 3,500 texts and 3,300 tunes containing 1,933 published songs. Their work continues to be a fantastic resource for the musical heritage of the North East.

More information can be found here: https://www.livelifeaberdeenshire.org.uk/libraries/heritage-stories/greig-duncan/

16/10/2026

🥔 Join in the tattie fun at Aberdeenshire Farming Museum! During the Tattie Hols, children can take part in our free Tattie Trail around the museum. No booking required, just drop in and explore! 🚜

14/10/2026

Do you know the origin of the Tattie Holidays? 🥔
The Tattie Hols began in the 1930s, when children across Aberdeenshire and other rural parts of Scotland were given time off school to help bring in the annual potato harvest. It was hard, muddy work, but it helped families earn extra money before winter and gave young people some pocket money of their own. By the 1980s, modern harvesting machinery had largely replaced hand-picking, but the name Tattie Holidays and the October break remain a cherished part of Scotland’s farming heritage.
🥔 Join in the tattie fun at Aberdeenshire Farming Museum! During the Tattie Hols, children can take part in our free Tattie Trail around the museum. No booking required, just drop in and explore! 🚜

13/10/2026

Did you know that people have lived in Aberdeenshire for about 15,000 years?

In that time, Doggerland flooded and became the North Sea, people moved from a hunter/gatherer lifestyle to a more settled agrarian way of living, developed arts, culture, and societies across the region.

Here are a couple examples of objects in our collections that reflect these early peoples.

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11/10/2026

TODAY at Aberdeenshire Farming Museum join Pauline Cordiner, A Scottish Storyteller in the theatre for some fun puppet workshops and story telling. Hand Puppet Workshop: Bringing Birds and Beasts to Life 1pm-2pm, followed by Birds and Beasts: A Family Storytelling Session 2.30pm-3.30pm
Attend one, or both sessions, we don’t mind, we know you will have a great time regardless!
Donations on the day of £2 per child please, adults go free, Cash Only

09/10/2026

We are excited to be part of Finds Day!

Hosted by the University of Aberdeen Collections, the Treasure Trove team will be visiting the Sir Duncan Rice library to talk visitors through the processes around finding historic objects.

Come see us to handle some historic objects, do some metal detecting, share heritage from your area, and learn a little bit about the new museum of Aberdeenshire.

We hope to see you there!

The Treasure Trove Team are back in Aberdeen! Book an appointment or come along on the day to hear a talk about Treasure Trove and to enjoy other archaeology-themed activities from the University Collections.

08/10/2026

Looking for something to do with the family? Pop along to Aberdeenshire Farming Museum, Aden Country Park this Sunday.
Join Pauline Cordiner, A Scottish Storyteller in the theatre on Sunday 11th Oct for some fun puppet workshops and story telling. Hand Puppet Workshop: Bringing Birds and Beasts to Life 1pm-2pm, followed by Birds and Beasts: A Family Storytelling Session 2.30pm-3.30pm
Attend one, or both sessions, we don’t mind, we know you will have a great time regardless!
Donations on the day of £2 per child please, adults go free, Cash Only

06/10/2026

Mochie is going on tour! Keep an eye out for tales of her adventures as she explores the unique heritage and history of Aberdeenshire.

Do you want a visit from Mochie? Send us a message and she might make her way to you!

03/10/2026

Happy ! This year's theme is of Scottish Museums, celebrating the extraordinary objects, stories and collections that make up Scotland's museums.

B is for Bog Apple!

This preserved apple was found in a peat bog near New Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire. We don't know exactly how old it is but it could be thousands of years!

Peat bogs preserve organic material like apples over thousands of years. The dense layers of peat above the apple, creates an environment with low oxygen and acid that prevents the apple from decomposing. And thus preserves a bit of history for us many years later!

01/10/2026

Aberdeenshire Farming Museum, Aden Country Park are delighted to be taking part in the Scottish International Storytelling Festival again this year.
Join Pauline Cordiner, A Scottish Storyteller in the theatre on Sunday 11th Oct for some fun puppet workshops and story telling. Hand Puppet Workshop: Bringing Birds and Beasts to Life 1pm-2pm, followed by Birds and Beasts: A Family Storytelling Session 2.30pm-3.30pm
Attend one, or both sessions, we don’t mind, we know you will have a great time regardless!
Donations on the day of £2 per child please, adults go free, Cash Only
Scottish International Storytelling Festival Scottish Storytelling Centre