Guidance

Preserving Dounreay's history

Information on the work being carried out to provide a lasting legacy of Dounreay's history and how to donate items to the historic collection.

Documents

Details

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Dounreay, in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland and heritage professionals Atkins Heritage, have worked together to establish a way forward to create a lasting cultural legacy of the site. This strategy was published in September 2010 following consultation.

The strategy is being implemented with specialist advice via a panel of heritage experts from Historic Environment Scotland, National Museums Scotland, Caithness Horizons and Highlife Highland.

A collection of Dounreay artefacts was donated to Caithness Horizons in Thurso and is now on display in the museum’s dedicated Dounreay exhibition area.

Since construction began in 1955, photographs, drawings, records and film footage have been archived for posterity. The photographs have been transferred to Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archives in Wick, Caithness.

Over the years, records have also been sent to the National Archive at Kew Gardens in London. Historic Environment Scotland also has an interesting collection of aerial photographs of Dounreay.

The archives of the BBC, STV and National Library of Scotland (the Scottish Screen Archives) contain film footage of Dounreay.

Dounreay has appointed a heritage officer to manage all work related to Dounreay’s cultural heritage and the officer can be contacted via e-mail communications@dounreay.com.

You can contribute to the heritage project by providing:

  • memories that are, or can be recorded
  • objects/artefacts
  • interesting articles or reports, particularly on social and economic impact
  • information leaflets or brochures
  • magazines or newsletters
  • photographs
  • film footage or video
  • any items that will help tell the Dounreay story to future generations

please e-mail the heritage officer communications@dounreay.com

or send a letter to:

Dounreay Heritage Officer, Building D2003, Dounreay, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7TZ

Published 4 April 2016