Lossiemouth Fisheries and Community Museum

About the museum

Lossiemouth Fisheries and Community Museum was first discussed at a meeting of local fishing interests in December 1979, when a small steering committee was formed. Rather than reuse an old house, the committee took over a row of empty fishing-gear stores beside the harbour, which the harbour board leased to the museum trust for a nominal rent. The conversion was paid for by grants from the local councils, the Scottish Tourist Board and local fundraising, and the museum opened on 23 June 1984.

The displays were planned around three themes. The first is safety at sea and includes the gears and lenses from the Covesea Lighthouse, donated by the Northern Lighthouse Board. The second is boatbuilding, with models from the Buckie yard of Herd and McKenzie and from local fishermen. The third is the community, whose best-known exhibit is a reconstruction of the study of Ramsay MacDonald, the town’s most famous son and Britain’s first Labour prime minister, given by his family.

On the ground floor there are fishing boat models, a model wheelhouse and films, while the upper floor adds the study and displays on the armed forces at nearby RAF Lossiemouth. The museum is run by an independent board and about 20 volunteers and depends on donations and legacies. It opens for seven months of the year and closes in winter for refurbishment.

Highlights

• Lenses and gears from the Covesea Lighthouse
• Models of fishing boats from Buckie and local fishermen
• Model fishing boat wheelhouse to step inside
• Reconstructed study of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
• Displays on RAF Lossiemouth and the history of the Moray coast

Permanent exhibitions

• Safety at sea – Gears and lenses from the Covesea Lighthouse, donated by the Northern Lighthouse Board, and the bell of the wrecked Lady Gordon.
• Boatbuilding and fishing – Models of fishing boats from the Buckie yard of Herd and McKenzie and from local fishermen, with displays on the local fishing industry.
• Community and Ramsay MacDonald study – A reconstruction of the study of the former prime minister Ramsay MacDonald, with displays on RAF Lossiemouth and local life.

Founded

1984

Admission & discounts

Prices for the 2026 season; cash and card are accepted.

Accessibility

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

The ground floor is accessible for wheelchair users; the museum does not say whether the upper floor, which holds the Ramsay MacDonald study, can be reached without stairs.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

The ground floor has hands-on items for children, films, and a model wheelhouse that visitors can step inside.

Getting there & parking

The museum stands opposite Lossiemouth Harbour on Pitgaveny Street, about a ten-minute drive from Elgin.

Amenities & dining

Harbour Lights Cafe is next door and serves lunches and snacks daily; two ice cream shops are about five minutes’ walk away.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit