8 Museums to Explore in Orkney
Checkout places to visit in Orkney
OrkneyOrkney, also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness and has about 70 islands, of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island, Mainland, is often referred to as "the Mainland", and has an area of 523 square kilometres, making it the sixth-largest Scottish island and the tenth-largest island in the British Isles. Orkney’s largest settlement, and
Popular Activities And Trips in Orkney
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Museums to Explore in Orkney
Corrigall Farm MuseumCorrigall Farm Museum is a traditional ‘but and ben’ laid out as a typical Orkney farmhouse and steading in Victorian/late 19th century period, although it was still lived in like this until the last inhabitants left in the mid-20th century. It's a fascinating place to visit, and it provides a particularly interesting counterpoint to the Kirbuster Museum, which is around five miles north west as the crow flies, though slightly further by car.
Kirbuster MuseumThis is a fascinating and remarkable complex of buildings with a far greater depth of history than you might expect. It provides a fascinating glimpse into life on a traditional island farm during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The main farmhouse is surrounded by beautiful stone buildings full of farming equipment and memorabilia.
Longhope Lifeboat MuseumA beautiful museum tells the story of the 1932 Watson Lifeboat “Thomas McCunn” together with the Longhope Lifeboat Disaster March 17th 1969. Thomas McCunn is the only launchable slipway lifeboat in the UK and served Longhope 1933-62. The Museum is not manned at all times, however you can make an appointment to view by contacting the Trust.
Orkney Fossil & Heritage CentreOrkney Fossil & Heritage Centre was housed in converted farm buildings on the island of Burray, the Centre has an intriguing collection of fossils from Orkney and around the world, including some rare and beautifully preserved specimens. The exhibitions downstairs showcase the extensive fossil and rock collection, with detailed information and illustrations of 380 million year old fish! Ernest Firth was also a collector of heritage objects
Orkney Wireless MuseumThis museum comprises of the history of early domestic radio and wartime communications in Orkney with maps, charts, valves, transistors, rare exhibits, wartime memorabilia and photo archive. It was founded in 1983 by the late Jim MacDonald after a lifetime passion working with, investigating and collecting, all things electrical. The displays and photographic archive bear testament to the strategic and military importance of Orkney during World War II.
Sanday Heritage CentreSanday Heritage Centre is situated on the outskirts of Lady Village. Located within Temperance Hall, the centre displays some of Sanday’s natural and man-made treasures and showcases some of the community’s history. Current displays focus on farming, the sea, archaeology, natural history and Sanday’s contribution to the First World War.
Stromness MuseumA beautiful small independent museum, which including First World War artefacts from the scuttled German High Seas Fleet, items from Orkney's involvement in the Hudson's Bay Company, and collections brought home from Orcadians travelling abroad. It also houses numerous Victorian natural history collections of birds and eggs, mammals, shells, fossils, butterflies and moths, as well as antiquarian collections of artefacts.
The Orkney MuseumA historical museum in Kirkwall, which tells the story of Orkney, from the Stone Age, to the Picts and Vikings, right through to the present day. The archaeology collection, which includes artefacts and environmental material from all periods of Orkney's prehistoric and early medieval past, is recognised as being nationally significant.