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.

View our full opening times

Inside Visit Us

Hay's Dock by the Dowry

Café/restaurant at Shetland Museum’s historic Hay’s Dock.

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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.

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Crofthouse Museum

The Shetland Crofthouse Museum is now open daily for the 2024 summer season.

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Galleries

Visit our Museum Galleries

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Archives Searchroom

Visit the Archives searchroom

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Gift Shop

Our gift shop offers a range of products which are inspired by the Museum and Archive collections, and reflect and celebrate Shetland's unique culture and heritage.

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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.

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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, and display just some of the traditional Shetland boats in the collection.

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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 .

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Visit Us Blog Posts

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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Shetland Amenity Trust reopens Shetland Museum and Archives

The Shetland Amenity Trust will reopen its doors to the public at the Shetland Museum and Archives this week following careful ...

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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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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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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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Missing Crowds

Today is the last Tuesday in January and would traditionally be Up Helly Aa day 2021. This is a much anticipated date for many ...

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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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'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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Museum and Archives to remain closed

Shetland Museum and Archives will remain closed to the public after the festive period due to the latest advice from NHS Shetland on ...

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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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New winter opening times at the Shetland Museum and Archives

The Shetland Museum and Archives have announced new opening times that will come into effect on Saturday 28th November. The aim is to ...

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Fair Isle Chairs on display in Da Gadderie

An exciting new exhibition of Fair Isle Chairs by local carpenter Eve Eunson is on display in Da Gadderie in Lerwick. In collaboration ...

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Tears of joy and appreciation for peerie hansels

Shetland students on the mainland will be receiving a ‘Peerie Hansel fae Hame’ this week as part of the Shetland Amenity Trust’s ...

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