Welcome To The

Scottish Tartans Museum & heritage center

The Scottish Tartans Museum and Heritage Center, Inc. was established by the STS to be a center for reliable information on Scottish Highland Dress traditions within the United States, and to serve the large Scottish-American heritage community. Originally established in Highlands, NC in 1988. The museum has been in Franklin since 1994, where we have educated the public about tartan and Highland Dress as well as, served as a general Scottish Heritage Center for the region.

The Museum is open Monday - Saturday 10 am until 5 pm and is closed Sundays.  Sales, donations & memberships support the operation of the museum.

About US
Membership

Tartan Gift Shop

Gifts & Accessories

Tartan Database

Find your Tartan

Become a Member

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About the Museum

Museum Hours

10AM-5PM
Monday-Saturday
Closed Sunday

A tour of the Scottish Tartans Museum and Heritage Center, Inc. offers a look into “the origins, history, and development of tartans.”, specifically the development of the kilt.

Other exhibits also cover various aspects of the Scottish emigrant experience into North Carolina, and their interaction with the Cherokee people, natives to the southern Appalachians.

This one-of-a-kind tartan museum is the only one located in the US. Located in the wee mountain town of Franklin, because of the fact that there are more people with Celtic heritage in North Carolina than anywhere in the world.

Learn More

PBS Video of North Carolina Museums Featuring Us!

Donate to the Museum

Our museum is the only one in the US and is maintained and operated by donations, sales from our giftshop and memberships.

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Beautiful Scotland - Visit Scotland

Billy Connolly designed by John Byrne and painted by Rogue One. One of there murals commissioned to mark the 75th birthday of the much-loved Glaswegian comedian. Part of the Glasgow City Centre Mural Trail.
Billy Connolly designed by John Byrne and painted by Rogue One. One of there murals commissioned to mark the 75th birthday of the much-loved Glaswegian comedian. Part of the Glasgow City Centre Mural Trail.
Bracklinn Falls and Callander Crags in the Trossachs
Bracklinn Falls and Callander Crags in the Trossachs
Wicker statue of Tam O' Shanter and his horse Meg in the gardens of the Burns Cottage - The birthplace in 1759 of the poet Robert Burns and now museum in Alloway
Wicker statue of Tam O' Shanter and his horse Meg in the gardens of the Burns Cottage - The birthplace in 1759 of the poet Robert Burns and now museum in Alloway
Corpach Sea Lock and Lighthouse in the Shadow of Ben Nevis, Loch Eil by Fort William.
Corpach Sea Lock and Lighthouse in the Shadow of Ben Nevis, Loch Eil by Fort William.
Some of Scotland’s greatest medieval monarchs were laid to rest at Dunfermline Abbey. Charles I was delivered here in 1600 – the last monarch to be born in Scotland.
Some of Scotland’s greatest medieval monarchs were laid to rest at Dunfermline Abbey. Charles I was delivered here in 1600 – the last monarch to be born in Scotland.

Continuing Educational Outreach

A one minute look at some of the Educational Outreach that we perform for our area here in Western North Carolina. Included is a sneak peek at our new living history group Breacan Clann. Breacan Clann re-enacts medieval-1700’s eras.