Shetland Crofthouse Museum
Thatched 19th-century crofthouse at Boddam presented as in the 1870s, with a peat fire, box beds and a garden; closed for the 2026 season.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Crofthouse Museum is a traditional thatched crofthouse at Boddam in Dunrossness, in the south of Shetland Mainland. The house dates from the nineteenth century and is presented as it would have looked in the 1870s, with the peat fire, box beds and everyday objects of a family that worked the land.
It is run by Shetland Amenity Trust as part of Shetland Museum and Archives. Each autumn the artefacts are packed up and taken to the museum store in Lerwick for the winter, and in spring they are brought back and the crofthouse, byre and barn are thoroughly cleaned before the season opens. The building has recently been upgraded to an A-listed building in recognition of its heritage value.
Custodians in the house tell visitors how families lived and made a living from the land. Visitors can smell the peat fire, look at the box beds and try setting the traditional Shetland mouse trap. A garden surrounds the house.
Highlights
- Thatched crofthouse furnished as in the 1870s
- Peat fire and box beds
- Traditional Shetland mouse trap to try
- Custodians who tell stories of crofting life
- Garden around the house
Permanent exhibition
- A crofthouse of the 1870s – A thatched house furnished as it would have looked in the 1870s, with a peat fire, box beds and stories of how families lived from the land.
- Founded
- 1971
- Operated by
- Shetland Amenity Trust (Shetland Museum and Archives)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Entry is free and donations are welcome. Guided group tours for groups of eight or more must be booked by email and carry a small charge.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- 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 building is not suitable for wheelchair users. The way to the site is a narrow, steep, sloping track with three steps at the start. Doorways are narrow, door lintels are low and the floors are uneven.
Kids & families
- Hands-on stations
Visitors can try setting the traditional Shetland mouse trap.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
The museum is reachable by public transport; current bus timetables are on the ZetTrans website.
The crofthouse is at Boddam in Dunrossness, in the south of Shetland Mainland.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
A garden surrounds the crofthouse. The café and shop belong to Shetland Museum and Archives in Lerwick.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Groups of eight or more should book by email. The crofthouse can hold 15 people at a time, so larger parties can be split, with one group touring while the other explores the garden and surroundings. |
