Inside Category History

His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
We are saddened to hear of the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
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Why burn peats?
As part of the Between Islands project, Shetland’s new online exhibition, ‘Fair Game’ examines three customs that are now ...
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The Bohemian Girl
In 1843 White’s, a firm of Quaker shipbuilders, launched a schooner, 125 tons, 104ft x 22.5ft x 12ft, the Bohemian Girl.
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Celebrating International Women's Day: Britta Laurenson
International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Here Jenny ...
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Get Your Skates On!
The weather has changed, the temperature risen, wind and rain are back, the frosty winter fun gone. In 1909 though, one organisation ...
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A present from Lerwick?
Some artefacts are interesting for what they tell us, and others are simply nice to look at. Here's one that's both. On the face of ...
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Why hunt whales?
Pilot whales were important to islanders’ survival, providing many useful products. Subsistence whaling was unpredictable, because ...
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St Sunniva's Tableware
The pandemic meant no cruise liners came to Lerwick, but not many Shetlanders realise that an important one lies on the seabed at ...
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Winter Sports
We’ve had a fine spell of weather of late, snowy, frosty, crispy. Out for a walk one day I was told someone had been spotted skiing, ...
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Northwest Passage
On the 26th of June 1576, three ships anchored near St Ninian’s Isle. These were the Gabriel, a twenty-five tonne barque, the ...
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Why hunt fowl?
As part of the Between Islands project, Shetland’s new online exhibition, ‘Fair Game’ examines three customs that are now ...
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Up Helly Aa has a most interesting history
With the cancellation of Up Helly Aa there will be no torchlit procession, galley burning or all night partying this year. These ...
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The Shetland Archives - behind the searchroom
In the Shetland archives, we are lucky to have an enormous collection of our recent-forebears on tape. There are recordings of men and ...
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'Fair Game’ a major new online exhibition launched as part of the Between Islands project
The project highlights the historical cultural links between the islands of Shetland, Orkney, and the Outer Hebrides, while exploring ...
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New Baltic ware collection on display for the first time at Shetland Museum
A collection of colourful Skovi Kapps which highlight Shetland’s trading and maritime links with Russia during the 19th century is ...
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