Although the £9 million centre has been open since December, it will be officially opened on Wednesday, 16th April — the anniversary of the battle — as part of a week-long programme of events. The opening ceremony will be private but visitors attending between 3pm and 6pm will be able to enjoy free events involving experts.

Dr Tony Pollard, of BBC Scotland's "Two Men in a Trench", will lead battlefield tours, highlighting some of the archaeological work which helped rewrite the battle's history and uncovered some of the valuable artefacts which feature in the new exhibition.

Dr Nick Barratt, of BBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" will offer advice on tracing family trees, while renowned military historian, Dr Christopher Duffy will outline what happened at the battle. The battlefield will be open to the public throughout the day and a piper will play at 1pm for one hour.

The week-long programme begins on Sunday, 13th April when the memorial cairn will be floodlit at dusk for the first time with a lone piper playing laments from 7pm.

A memorial mass at St John's Episcopal Church, Southside Road, Inverness, will also take place on the Sunday at 7pm.

A special Culloden Songs of Praise service co-coordinated by the Barn Church will be held on Thursday, 17th April at 7pm.

The week finishes on Saturday, 19th April with a series of events including the Gaelic Society of Inverness's annual memorial service at the battlefield cairn and music arranged by Bruce MacGregor of Blazin' Fiddles and guests.

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