Am Baile was founded in 2000 by a consortium led by The Highland Council and which also included Taigh Chearsabhagh Trust and West Highland Animation. Together we set out to create a digital archive of the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands and Islands comprising material which had hitherto been difficult to access. Since then Am Baile has digitised and made available tens of thousands of items from archives, libraries, museums and private collections.

The project was initially sponsored by the New Opportunities Fund and subsequently by The Highland Council. Since October 2011, Am Baile has been funded by High Life Highland and is managed as part of the Highland Archive Service.

The original website was launched in May 2003 and won several awards both for the range of content offered and the innovative ways in which it was delivered. That website served us well but we need to move with the times and keep up with users’ expectations so in early 2014 we entered into a contract with Capture Ltd to create a new database and website. We hope you are enjoying it.

Gaelic language resource

Presenting the culture and heritage of the Scottish Highlands and Islands in the Gaelic language, and providing a resource for Gaelic speakers and learners, have always been key objectives of Am Baile. This site can be used in Gaelic and English with an option of switching language at any time.