VisitShetland

Skip navigation | Skip to site search

You are here: Home » Attractions and Activities » Historical » Visitor Attractions

Visitor Attractions

Archaeological sites, Museums & Heritage Centres

 

Shetland Crofthouse Museum

1. JARLSHOF - Prehistoric and Norse Settlement

This site of great historical importance consists of a number of ancient settlements dating back to Bronze Age. Also of significance are the remains of an entire Viking settlement and late 16th century mansion house.

Sumburgh Head, 22 miles S of Lerwick, March - October, daily, 9.00am-5.30pm, tel. 01950 460112, custodian: Davy Johnson.

2. OLD SCATNESS BROCH AND IRON AGE VILLAGE

Experienced guides will take you to reconstructed Iron Age dwellings. Also on the site is an exhibition with living history demonstrations.

One mile N from Sumburgh Airport, May - October, Sunday-Thursday 10am-5pm + special winter openings, tel. 01595 694688.

3. MOUSA BROCH

Mousa is the finest and the best preserved of all brochs in Scotland. It is located on a small island of Mousa.

Island of Mousa of SE Mainland, accessible by boat from Sandwick, Apr-Sept, tel. 01950 431367.

4. CLICKIMIN BROCH

Lerwick - a broch on the edge of the loch, with adjacent buildings dating back to the Iron Age. The broch is about 20m in diameter and up to 5m high. It has been repaired in 19th century. Open Access.

5. SCALLOWAY CASTLE

Built by Patrick Stewart, Earl of Orkney, in 1600. In use for only a very short time the castle fell into disrepair after his execution in 1615, but remains still stand impressively by Scalloway harbour.

Open to the public.  Key available from the Scalloway Hotel.

6. MUNESS CASTLE

Muness, the most northerly castle in the British Isles, was built for Lawrence Bruce in 1598. It takes form of a tower house with circular towers and it has retained a number of fine architectural details.

Four miles E from Belmont pier on SE tip of Unst, open access.

7. FORT CHARLOTTE

Fort Charlotte was originally built in the 17th century, destroyed by the Dutch during a war with England and finally reconstructed i the 1782 and named after the wife of George III.

8. LODBERRIES

The shore was lined by the houses, stores and piers which are collectively called lodberries (from Norse - "hlad berg" = flat stone). Take a walk along these picturesque houses with thick walls, slipways and fish-drying sheds.

9. QUENDALE WATER MILL

Beautifully restored 19th century water mill now houses a visitor centre with an exhibition of old farming methods and croft implements. A video shows the original mill machinery in action. There are facilities for the disabled.

Dunrossness, three miles W of Sumburgh road, mid April-mid Oct, daily, 10am-5pm. Also a souvenir shop and a cafe.

10. CROFTHOUSE MUSEUM

The house is a typical thatched crofthouse of the 19th century restored with traditional materials. A warm peat fire and a welcoming custodian ensures you will feel like at home.

South of Boddam, April- Sept, daily, 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm. Admission free but donations welcome.

11. BÖD OF GREMISTA

An 18th century fishing böd (booth)famous as a birthplace of Arthur Anderson, co-founder of P&O Ferries. The exhibition shows the period funiture and other artefacts. Also there is a display on fishing and the life of Anderson.

May-mid Sept, Wed-Sun, 10am-1pm and 2-5pm, tel: Shetland Museum, 01595 695057.

12. SHETLAND MUSEUM

Shetland has recently opened it's new purpose-built museum and archives which houses many artefacts and displays.  Discover Shetland's story through thousands of fascinating objects and documents inside this dynamic structure with its three-storey Boat Hall, state-of-the-art Archives and harbour-front Cafe Restaurant.

Museum, Mon-Wed, Fir, Sat, 10am-5pm, Thurs 10am-7pm Sun 12pm-5pm, 01595 695057
Archives, Mon-Wed & Fri, 9.30am-4.30pm
Restaurant, Mon-Sat, from 11am-5pm, Sun 12pm-4pm, also open in evenings - please call 01595 741569 for further details

13. SCALLOWAY MUSEUM

Scalloway Museum has an interesting display telling the story of the "Shetland Bus Operation". Scalloway was a secret base of Norwegian freedom fighters during the WWII. An interesting collection of artefacts and photographs.

Scalloway, 9 miles W of Lerwick, May-Sept, Mon 9.30am-11.30am & 2pm-4.30pm, Tues-Fri 10am-12pm & 2pm-4.30pm, Sat, 10am-12.30pm & 2pm-4.30pm, admission free.

14. BONHOGA GALLERY

Former grain mill housing Shetland's first purpose-built gallery showing local, national and international exhibitions of art and craft. Also cafe and gallery shop.

Weisdale Mill, Weisdale, open: 8 Jan-23 Dec, Gallery: Tues-Sat 10.30-4.30pm, Sun 12.00-4.30pm, Cafe: Tue-Sat 11.00-4pm, Sun 12.00-4pm, tel: 01595 830400. Note; Closed one week every month for rehanging.

15. ISLESBURGH EXHIBITION OF SHETLAND CRAFTS AND CULTURE

One of the most illustrative exhibitons in Shetland. It contains a specially constructed stage set depicting a crofthouse in the 1920s, along with photographs, various arts and crafts. Exhibition is also accompanied with a programme of events, evenings of traditional music and dance and sreenings of old films. Volunteers demonstrate knitting, spinning and carding.

Islesburgh Community Centre, Lerwick, Mainland, starting mid-June, Mon, Wed & Thurs 7-9.30pm, tel: 01595 692114

16. UP-HELLY-AA EXHIBITION

An exhibiton devoted to this unique fire festival when, every last Tuesday of January, the darkened streets of Lerwick provide a background for a long torchlit procession, terminating by burning of a replica galley. Visitors can see relics, photographs, costumes and mainly the ship.

St Sunniva Street, Lerwick, mid May-mid Sept, Tue 2-4pm & 7-9pm, Fri 7-9pm, Sat 2-4pm

17. TANGWICK HAA MUSEUM

This museum is accommodated in a restored seventeenth century mansion. All aspects of life in Northmavine over the years are well illustrated there. The museum has many fascinating objects and photographs. A unique artefact is a wedding dress and china dating from around 1840.

Tangwick, NW side of Mainland, April-Sept, Mon-Sun 11am-5pm, tel: 01806 503389.

18. OLD HAA VISITOR CENTRE

The old Haa' of Burravoe is now a museum and was built in about 1672. Yell's oldest building contains local arts and crafts, photographs and eye-witness accounts relating to the German ship Bohus which was wrecked off the island in 1924.

Burravoe, Yell, May-Sept, Tue-Thur, 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 2-5pm, tel: 01957 722339

19. GEORGE WATERSON MEMORIAL CENTRE AND MUSEUM

George Waterson , the former Scottish Director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, co-founded the Bird Observatory in 1948. Dr Waterson's Memorial is a fascinating museum in the former Fair Isle School, which studies local social history and particularly the famous knitting traditions and patterns, plus natural history and archaeology.

Fair Isle, Mid May by appointment only, tel: 01595 760244

20. FETLAR INTERPRETIVE CENTRE

The Interpretive Centre at the Beach of Houbie tells a story of Fetlar history, natural heritage and folklore. Visitors can browse through albums of old photographs, listen to recordings of local history or see film of the island dating back to the 1930s.

Beach of Hubie, Fetlar, 4 miles from the ferry, May-Sept, Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, Sat & Sun 1pm-4pm, tel: 01957 733206.

21. UNST HERITAGE CENTRE

The history of Unst through displays depicting crofting, fishing, geology and unique examples of spinning and fine lace knitting, as well as information on family history.

Haroldswick, Unst, May-Sept, Mon-Sun 11am-5pm, tel:01957 711528.

22. UNST BOAT HAVEN

A unique collection of traditional small fishing and sailing boats, fishing artefacts, photos and information covering all aspects of marine heritage.

Haroldswick, Unst, May-Sept, Mon-Sun 11am-5pm, tel: 01957 711528

23. BRESSAY HERITAGE CENTRE

Annual summer exhibition consisting of the historic and natural heritage of the island of Bressay.

Leiraness, May-Sept, Tue/Wed/Fri/Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 11am-5.30pm, tel: 01595 820750

View all news stories