History, tourist information, and nearby accommodation
This intriguing heritage museum is located on historic Hay's Dock in Lerwick, in an area lined with boat-building sheds and merchant's houses. The dock was built in the 1820s by the
History, tourist information, and nearby accommodation
This intriguing heritage museum is located on historic Hay's Dock in Lerwick, in an area lined with boat-building sheds and merchant's houses. The dock was built in the 1820s by the Hay & Ogilvy Company, and within 2 decades the company owned 100 fishing boats, and the dock was a thriving hub of shops, warehouses, smithies, a sawmill, and a chandler.
As quickly as the dock thrived, it collapsed, and by 1842 the Company was bankrupt. But disaster was followed by regeneration, and the company reformed as Hay & Company, and switched to import and export, as well as relaunching the shipyard. After WWI the dock went into decline yet again, but has now been restored and given a new life as a heritage area; a glimpse into Shetland's rich maritime and social history.
The Shetland Museum holds a vast collection of artefacts covering the heritage of Shetland. There are separate collections of natural history, archaeology, social history, traditional life, industry, fishing, textiles, and maritime history. Unlike some museums which seem to collect objects from around the world, the museum only collects o