HIDDEN TREASURES AT ORKNEY’S OLDEST MUSEUM
Stromness Museum is Orkney’s oldest, established in 1837 by the Orkney Natural History Society. The museum’s aims are the same today as it was then — promoting natural science, to preserve local history, and to offer an enjoyable, educational and informative experience to as large a range of people as possible.
Permanent displays include the Victorian Natural History Gallery, Buddo and Skara Brae, Dr John Rae’s Arctic expeditions, Orkney and the Hudson’s Bay Company, the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet, Arctic Whalers and maritime, social history and world cultures.
This year’s summer exhibition focuses on geology, and celebrates two geologists with Orcadian connections, Ted Kellock and Professor Mathew Forrester Heddle. Mineral Minds: Orkney Geologists under the Microscope will run from May to October; check out the website for special talks and events relating to this.
The museum has developed new ways to explore its collections.
The Curator’s Tour is an exclusive personal tour where you will enjoy an informative, engaging and in-depth experience, which will enable you to connect with people from our past and gain an understanding of modern day Stromness, and Orkney.
Why not try a Snorkel Safari, and get a unique view of Stromness from the comfort of a dry suit? You can also help to record local marine wildlife, and learn about ocean conservation.
Only two Snorkel Safaris run during the summer, so please check the website for dates. They are run with local dive school Kraken Diving, who take care of the health and safety aspects of these events.
For a more laid back activity, why not join the museum’s climate change, exhibitions and outreach officer in a Shoreline Ramble.
See behind the scenes of the museum’s natural history collection, and go for a walk along the local shoreline to discover some of Orkney’s coastal plants and animals, linking to the collections. Suitable for families with children over six years old.
For those who are more armchair naturalists, the museum has recently launched an Inspirational Retail range of bespoke merchandise, which is based on the collections.
Working with local creative practitioners, Kirsteen Stewart, Britt Harcus, Colin Kirkpatrick, Claire Kirkpatrick and Mark Newton, a unique range has been created, helping to raise the profile of the museum’s collections, linking them to biodiversity and climate change. Every purchase supports the ongoing sustainability of the museum and the local economy.
The Stromness Museum has partnered with Smartify for the 2024 season.
With the free Smartify app installed on your phone, you can scan items in collections to learn even more about their history and additional information about them.
You can even enjoy exploring all our artefacts on the app from home or within the museum itself, and save your favourites to your own Smartify collection.
Our Blue Plaque Trail audio tour through the streets of Stromness, voiced by Cameron Stout of BBC Radio Orkney, is also available on the Smartify app and takes you on a guided walk through the town whilst detailing the stories behind the 16 Blue Plaques found along the street.