Dramatic highland landscapes, heroic histories, tartan and bagpipes are among the defining images of Scotland for many people around the world today. This exhibition considered the origins of these ideas and explored how they were used to represent Scotland around the world.

From the Romantic movement of the 18th and early 19th centuries to Queen Victoria’s highland idyll at Balmoral, Wild and Majestic considers the origins of these ideas and explores how they were used to represent Scotland around the world, expressed through highland and military dress, royal visits, art, literature and the beginnings of the Scottish tourism industry.

Featuring rich displays and iconic objects, this landmark exhibition charts Scotland’s journey into the global imagination and invites you to think again about the meaning and relevance of ideas that continue to define Scotland today. 

National Museums Scotland has partnered with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig College on Skye, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), on the production of content for the exhibition. Gaelic language and culture feature throughout the exhibition, with the main narrative presented in both English and Gaelic. 

Each section of the exhibition includes exploration of themes from a Gaelic-cultural perspective, and throughout the exhibition filmed interviews reflect a range of perspectives, including Gaelic voices, on some contested historical themes about the period.

The relationship between objects and the history of the Gaelic language is shown through a rich selection of material.