Kinloch Museum

Community museum in Balallan on Lewis, run by Kinloch Historical Society, on crofting life, the world wars and local history.

Opening hoursAdmission £3 Wheelchair accessible Café

Website Directions

About the museum

The museum is run by Kinloch Historical Society (Comunn Eachdraidh Cheann a Loch), which has been active for more than forty years and covers the area from Soval to Aline, including Shieldinish, Seaforth Head and Eishken. The society has collected objects from the district since it was founded in 1983.

The collection is shown in the Kinloch Community Hub in Balallan, which opened in 2019 after a refurbishment of the former school. One room covers social and domestic life in the early twentieth century, with crofting, fishing, education, religion, weaving, smithing and healthcare. Another room deals with the two world wars, the Iolaire disaster of 1919, emigration, the 1887 Pairc Deer Raid and the Clan Mackenzie.

Two loan exhibitions come from other museums: the Arnish Moor Man from National Museums Scotland and a display on the Seaforth Highlanders from the Highlanders' Museum. The museum is accredited, and the society also keeps genealogy records and an archive.

Highlights

Social and domestic history of Kinloch in the early twentieth century
Displays on the two world wars and the Iolaire disaster of 1919
The Arnish Moor Man, a loan exhibition from National Museums Scotland
Seaforth Highlanders loan exhibition
Videos and slideshows on Gaelic psalm singing, emigration and wildlife
Genealogy records and archive

Permanent exhibitions

Social and domestic history – Life in Kinloch in the early twentieth century, including crofting, fishing, schooling, weaving, smithing and healthcare.
Wars and regional history – The effects of the two world wars, the Iolaire disaster, emigration, the Pairc Deer Raid and the Clan Mackenzie.
Arnish Moor Man – A loan exhibition from National Museums Scotland about a young man whose body was found in peat on Arnish Moor in the 1960s.

Founded: 1983
Operated by: Kinloch Historical Society (Scottish charity SC006858)

Admission & discounts

Adults	£3
Children & teens	freefree up to age 15 · Under-16s enter free

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible
Elevator: no information
Accessible restroom
Accessible parking
Service dogs welcome
Tactile models & exhibits: no information
Sign language tours: no information
Easy-to-read materials: no information
Audio description: no information

Regional tourism listings for the Community Hub mention disabled access, disabled toilets and disabled parking. Only assistance dogs are allowed in the museum rooms because of the objects on open display.