On 24 March 2025, the Board of Trustees of the Clan Donald Lands Trust (CDLT) announced their unanimous decision to place the Sleat Estate on the open market in April, followed by the remaining Armadale property assets in early summer 2025.

Statements from the Board of Trustees are available HERE.

The Board has been open for many years about the significant challenges facing our charity. The Armadale visitor centre has never been financially self-sustaining on a year-round basis, and the Trust has only been able to continue operations thanks to the exceptional generosity of a major grant funder. While the current museum features important elements of Clan Donald history, it regrettably reaches only a limited annual audience.

The decision to sell the wider estate—and ultimately the Armadale site—was taken with great care and consideration. It reflects the urgent need to realign the Trust’s resources with its core charitable objectives and to secure a sustainable future for our mission.

We want to reassure everyone with concerns about the museum that the CDLT collections are not for sale. The collections remain on display this season and are being professionally cared for by our team. Looking ahead, the Board hopes to use proceeds from the sale to help fund a new museum and exhibition centre, ideally still based on Skye, with an expanded focus on Clan Donald and the wider Highland clan heritage.

Later this year, the Trust will begin a comprehensive review of the museum collection in accordance with professional museum standards. We will also enter discussions with lenders and relevant institutions. Over time, the collection has grown to include many items with no or limited connection to Clan Donald. This review will therefore be a significant and carefully managed process, requiring time, expertise, and thoughtful decision-making.

This proposed sale marks a pivotal moment in CDLT’s history: a chance to reset, refocus, and reinvest in our founding mission. It opens the door to a renewed future for the Clan Donald legacy, both physically and digitally.

Our strategic vision includes:

• A revitalised physical hub, ideally located on Skye, encompassing a more efficient museum, archive, library, and visitor centre—enhancing historical interpretation, community connection, and cultural programming.
• A global digital platform dedicated to Clan Donald’s heritage—providing accessible educational resources, storytelling, and cultural content to a worldwide audience.
• Expanded educational and cultural initiatives, including grant-giving programmes to promote learning, creativity, and participation across all ages and backgrounds.

This refocusing on our founding charitable purposes reflects both a deep respect for the past and a bold commitment to the future, ensuring that the story of Clan Donald continues to thrive and inspire for generations to come.

We thank our supporters for their continued understanding and engagement, and we remain committed to sharing further updates as matters progress.

Clann Dòmhnaill gu bràth!