Visit Us
Shetland Museum & Archives is open. Drop in and visit us, no booking is necessary.
Free to visit - As always, entry to the Museum and Archives is free but now more than ever we need your support - please consider making a donation.
Online Resources
Inside Visit Us
Crofthouse Museum
The Shetland Crofthouse Museum is open. Step back in time at this traditional 19th century thatched crofthouse. Smell the peat fire, discover the box beds, and have a go at setting the traditional Shetland mouse trap. Enjoy the charming garden and hear stories of how Shetland families once lived and worked the land.
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Archives Searchroom
The Archives searchroom is a comfortable, quiet space which is open to anyone who wishes to find out more about a particular subject, or just browse books, newspapers or records in the collection.
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Hays Dock Community Cafe
Welcome to our Community Cafe space. Our café space is now open as a self-service, honesty café during museum opening hours. While it's more modest than the café that previously operated here, we hope it provides a welcoming place for visitors to...
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Activities
Whatever your reason for visiting us at Shetland Museum and Archives, there are a range of activities and trails on offer to ensure you can make the most of your time with us.
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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.
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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.
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Accessibility
We want to make sure we continue to offer an excellent experience for all visitors with additional needs .
Read moreVisit Us Blog Posts
End of an era - last orders at tearooms
For more than a century there’s been a tearoom at the south end of Commercial Street, between the Post Office and the Tolbooth.
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Remembering George P.S. Peterson
George P.S. Peterson died recently at the age of 90. He was a notable archival source, teacher, writer, storyteller, folk dancer, and ...
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Art’s Cool Exhibition Review by Paul Bloomer
The Gadderie at Shetland Museum and Archives has been transformed into what can only be described as an overwhelming and overflowing ...
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Shipwrecks in Shetland - the latest
We were delighted to have maritime archaeologists, Colin and Paula Martin back with us last week to record finds from three East India ...
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School talent on display in new ‘Art’s Cool’ exhibition in Da Gadderie
A colourful new schools’ art exhibition opens on Saturday 12 November in Da Gadderie at Shetland Museum and Archives.
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Shetland Museum open evening kicks off traditional straw crafts winter club
Shetland Museum and Archives is launching a series of winter evening sessions which will focus on craft techniques using oat straw and ...
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New exhibition celebrates the artwork of John Johnson: Hobby Artist at Sea
A new exhibition of paintings by Shetland resident John Johnson will be launched in the Shetland Museum and Archives on Friday 4 ...
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Who's afraid of the njuggel?
Halloween wouldn’t be the same without a fair sprinkling of supernatural beings such as ghosts, vampires and werewolves, but ...
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Bringing biodiversity and history into the (outdoors) classroom
The Crofthouse Museum has closed after a busy season and it’s been so good to see folk back again. One project we delivered over ...
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October Workshops Programme
Join us throughout the bairns' October holidays for a host of heritage inspired craft activities with some spooky Halloween fun too!
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Crofthouse Museum and Shetland Museum closed Monday 19 September
The Shetland Museum and Archives and Crofthouse Museum will both be closed on Monday 19 September for the State Funeral of Her Majesty ...
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Alexander Wallace
A very welcome book came out recently. Developed from a Ph.D., 'Shetland Boats: Origin, Evolution and Use', by Dr Marc Chivers ...
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Archivist Brian Smith receives distinguished service award
We’re delighted that Brian Smith’s dedication to Shetland’s historical records has been recognised with a distinguished service ...
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Shetland Museum closed Saturday (6 Aug) afternoon
Shetland Museum is closing at 2.00pm this Saturday 6 August.
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