Shetland Museum and Archives

About the museum

The museum's earlier home was a shared library and museum building on Lower Hillhead and King Harald Street in Lerwick, opened on 29 June 1966 and built by Zetland County Council. As the collections grew, the building became far too small for them.

A purpose-built museum and archives opened on 31 May 2007 at Hay's Dock, the last surviving stretch of the original Lerwick dockside, which is a Category B listed site dating from 1815. The project cost about £11.6 million, helped by a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £4.9 million, and gave the collections roughly five times more exhibition space, a three-storey boat hall, a modern archive store with a search room and a lecture hall. The dock itself was restored with traditional materials such as lime mortar and reclaimed granite.

Inside, two floors of galleries are divided into twelve themed zones. The lower gallery follows Shetland from its geological beginnings to about 1800, including early settlers, farming, folklore and the harvest from the sea. The upper gallery continues from about 1800 to the present, with changing society, travel, the state, knitwear, fishing and wartime service. The textile and archaeology collections are Recognised Collections of National Significance in Scotland. The service is run by Shetland Amenity Trust on behalf of Shetland Islands Council.

Highlights

• Twelve themed gallery zones from geology and early settlers to modern Shetland
• Shetland lace and Fair Isle knitwear in a nationally recognised textile collection
• Three-storey boat hall with historic boats
• Nationally recognised archaeology collection
• Hay's Dock waterfront with public art, including the propeller of the liner Oceanic
• Archives search room open for drop-in research

Permanent exhibitions

• Lower gallery: early Shetland to about 1800 – Zones on geology, early people, home and land, customs and folklore, and the harvest from the sea.
• Upper gallery: Shetland from about 1800 to today – Zones on changing culture, travel, the role of the state and the modern economy, including the knitwear industry and fishing.

Founded

2007

Operated by

Shetland Amenity Trust (for Shetland Islands Council)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the museum and archives is free and no booking is needed; donations are encouraged. Some workshops and events charge a fee, for example £5 for certain workshops.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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 main entrance has a ramp and a large automatic door. A limited number of wheelchairs can be borrowed at the main entrance. Accessible toilets are on the ground and first floors. A lift connects the floors but is currently available on request only. Relaxed Sunday Sessions adapt the museum environment to be calm and comfortable for visitors who benefit from a quieter visit. Floor plans can be downloaded from the website.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Activity sheets and scavenger hunts are available in the foyer. Children can dress up in Victorian costume or as Vikings in the upper gallery and sail a miniature galley boat in the boat hall. Family activity days are held regularly, often tied to school holidays and seasonal themes, and the café offers paper-based activities for children.

Getting there & parking

The museum is about a ten-minute walk from the centre of Lerwick, on the waterfront at Hay's Dock beside Mareel. It is one mile from the Holmsgarth ferry terminal and about 30 minutes by car from Sumburgh Airport via the A970.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The café is a self-service honesty café open during museum hours, with hot drinks, juice, locally made biscuits and snacks; visitors may bring their own picnic. The gift shop in the foyer sells books, textiles, jewellery and gifts inspired by the collections, and there is an online shop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Many areas of the building and the dockside can be hired for conferences, meetings, weddings and parties. A reduced tariff applies to heritage groups, voluntary organisations and charities.

Plan your visit