Home /
Visit Us / Book

Visit Us / Book

Our new winter opening times include drop-in visits as well as pre-booked appointments - we look forward to welcoming you to the Shetland Museum and Archives.

Visitors can now drop-in to see us over the weekend (Friday-Sunday) or pre-book to get exclusive use of our museum facilities during the week – as always, entry to the Museum and Archives will be free with donations welcome. Click here to view our winter opening times.

We also have new social distancing and safety measures in place. Find out more at the links below.

Groups must be a maximum of 6 people from no more than 2 seperate households.
Please view the Scottish Government's guidance on travelling in Scotland prior to booking.

Free to visit

Your booking and visit is FREE but now more than ever we need your support - please consider making a donation.

Inside Visit Us / Book

Book

We have a booking system in place throughout the week to allow visitors exclusive use of the Museum and Archives if they wish and we are providing longer slots to give people time to browse at their leisure.

NEW - What to expect when you visit

We've been working hard to make sure that your visit will still be safe and enjoyable. Find out more about our social distancing and hygiene measures.

Galleries

Visit our Museum Galleries - booking essential.

Archives Searchroom

Visit the Archives searchroom - booking essential.

Picnic Area

Our cafe is currently closed but you are welcome to bring a picnic.

Tours

Make the most of your visit with us and join us on a tour to ensure you see the highlights of our museum and our Recognised Collections.

Gift Shop

You can visit our wonderful gift shop when you com and visit us in the Museum and Archives - you must wear a face covering.

Activities

Whatever your reason for visiting us at Shetland Museum and Archives, there are a range of activities on offer to ensure you can make the most of your time with us.

Hay's Dock

Shetland Museum and Archives sits on Hay’s Dock; the last remaining area of original dock on the Lerwick waterfront, which is now category B listed. This is a perfect setting to highlight the strong heritage connection with the sea, and display just some of the traditional Shetland boats in the collection.

Boat Shed

The Boat Shed, located at the left of the building dates from around 1900, although this particular site has been a place for boatbuilding and repair since the 1820s, with the first shed built in 1844 by Hay & Company. Today, the Boat Shed provi...

Public Art

Shetland Amenity Trust commissioned over 60 individual artworks as part of its Shetland Museum and Archives Public Art Project. These are on show throughout the building and dock, some even appearing alongside the artefacts and documents in the galleries and Archives.