Stromness Museum

@stromnessmuseum.bsky.social

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Orkney's museum of Natural and Maritime History, founded in 1837. "A treasure trove of objects from across the centuries..."

Crumb the ginger cat in Stromness museum porch, in front of a leaflet stand.
Exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy in 1931, this arresting seascape depicts two local fishermen, William Linklater and Robert Greig, in their motor yole 'Margaret' at Yesnaby on the west coast of Orkney.
Photo of four people crouched down on a stony Stromness beach.
A portrait photo showing 3 visitors listening to a female tour guide talking in Stromness Museum.
Photo of an article in The Orcadian dated 12 Feb 2026 headlined 'Museum Catalogue to go online' featuring a photo of Gareth kneeling in front of the Herbarium collection cupboard.
Landscape photo of four members of the Moti collective in Stromness museum, smiling at the camera.
B&W photo of The sailing cutter 'Maid Nellie' in Stromness Harbour water with skipper David Regan (right) and crewman Jon Field (left) working on deck, 1959.
Scorpion fish on codium seaweed
A small paper pamphlet with Nature Memory Book written on the cover with floral illustrations, Thorfinn’s entry.
Graphic that reads: The next shoreline ramble is this Wed 29 July at 2pm!
Photo of bagpipe players gathered outside Stromness Museum’s front entrance
People snorkelling in the sea outside the museum
Magic Faraway Tree illustration that reads: The Land of Know-alls. What’s the coolest fact you learned in the Museum today? Write it on your sheet! (Footer: Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree & Kids in Museums logo)
A small paper booklet with NATURE MEMORY BOOK written on it in decorative floral letters.
A photo of a stuffed bunny toy sitting in front of a glass case containing two taxidermy rabbits from the zoology collection.
B&W photo of vintage car driven by people in fancy dress, surrounded by a crowd. Entrants in a Stromness Shopping Week parade, 'The Roaring Twenties', 1955. Hourston Photographic Collection
A photo of a group of 5 people walking on a sandy beach, taken from behind.
Graphic that reads: The next Shoreline Ramble is this Fri 24 July at 10am!
Jenny Pope helping a young man draw with craft tables in the background.
Photo of a rock pool containing lots of seaweed.
POSTER: Snorkel Safari with Kraken Diving 25 July 2026 Get a unique view of Orkney from the comfort of a dry suit. Help us record our local marine wildlife and learn about ocean conservation. We are teaming up with Orkney dive school Kraken Diving once again to offer another Snorkel Safari this summer. This will take place at Stromness Museum’s very own pier on Saturday 25 July 2026, with two sessions during the day at 10am and 1pm. We’ll look at some of the historic specimens in our Natural History collection and learn about the Seasearch marine conservation project. Then we’ll go for a guided snorkel in dry-suits to see what we can find. When we come out the water, we’ll note down which species we saw. This is perfect for beginner snorkelers and those who want to experience Orkney’s underwater world for the first time. Tickets are £60 per person, which includes kit hire, Stromness Museum entry, a short behind-the-scenes look at our Natural History collection and a ‘Creature Features’ factsheet to take away. Drysuits are available for ages around 10 and up. Booking is essential. To book email: info@krakendiving.co.uk
Graphic: The Magic Faraway Tree Museum Adventure / Kids in Museums / Join us this summer holiday!
Black and white landscape photo of 4 men on the beach Loading a heifer on to a small boat seen in profile for transport, date unknown.
Poster: Stromness Shopping Week is almost here! To celebrate we’re having a nature memory book competition. 🖌️ Simply get an A4 piece of paper, fold it in any way you wish, and make a record of any nature or wildlife you see during shopping week. 🪶 The natural history display would be a great place to start. You can draw or write. If you fancy picking up a template piece of paper, head to the museum to get one. Each age category winner gets a year’s free family membership! 🎨8 and under 🎨12 and under 🎨13+ 🗓️ Get your entries to the museum by 3pm on Saturday 25th July.
M.V. St. Ola approaching Stromness Pier with, on the right, a Norwegian Whale fisherman manning the harpoon gun, c.1950s. Hourston Photographic Collection ©️ Stromness Museum
Calling all Orkney residents aged 18+! Heriot-Watt University Orkney International Marine Science Master's student Elaina is inviting local people to take part in a Kelp Histories and Futures Mapping Workshop next Thursday 16 July 2026 at 6.30-8pm at the Robert Rendall Building. This participatory workshop will explore local knowledge, cultural history, and future possibilities for kelp cultivation around Orkney Mainland. Your participation can help shape early research on how kelp cultivation may fit within Orkney's marine environment. Whether you have family stories linked to kelp, or are simply interested in Orkney's marine future, Elaina would love to hear from you. If you would like to join us, please email erk4000@hw.ac.uk
Two girls viewing partial remains of the Stronsay beast
Photo of group of people on a shoreline ramble
Image 1: photo of Brass butterfly key for winding up wall clock. From German Fleet, SMS Hindeburg. 48mm long. From Th. Staebe Elbing, Germany. Found at Scapa Flow.
Black & white photo: One Man Band in Stromness.
Cover of Stromness Museum booklet, 1963. ©️ Stromness Museum
Image 1: photo of the labelled bird skull collection laid out on a table.
Image 1: photo of a spiny lobster from the zoology collection. crustacea.
Landscape photo of a large group of people standing before the front door of Stromness Museum, all looking directly towards the camera.
Close-up photo of a bird skull in profile against a black background.
Jenny Pope standing in a gazebo, holding her floating sculpture.
Close-up photo of a 3D printed Birsay Whalebone model on a stone floor with the sea and horizon in the background.
Photo of Jenny Pope kneeling beside a rockpool with seaweed on the ground around her.
A crowd of people gathered around Sam Stringer speaking in the front garden of King St Halls, Kirkwall.
Today: Wednesday 24 June 2026 | 6.30 - 7.30pm plus networking. Join Heriot-Watt and Project Seagrass at the Robert Rendall Building, Stromness in for an evening of talks exploring Orkney's seagrass meadows.
Photo of the pride flag billowing in the wind, flying on a flagpole in front of a row of houses next to the sea.
Black and white photo of a seascape Orkney sunset, date unknown. Hourston Photographic Collection ©️ Stromness Museum
STROMNESS PUBS Song of the Good Templars Upon the solid ground of right Ye Stromness Templars stand, And work together with your might To save your native land. From alcohol, the nation's curse For ever, set it free, No more let Stromness streets resound To drunken revelry. Unfurl your banner to the breeze And march throughout the town, The first you've got to do is put McPherson Brothers down. 'Twill be a feather in your cap, A thing of lasting joy, Whenyou have slain in fair good fight The whisky "Man O' Hoy". Close to the whisky "Man O' Hoy" There is a drinking shop, But put a noble effort forth Its whisky trade to stop. All Christian people in the town Approvingly willhear, The name of Clouston's will no more On licensed lists appear. You'll go and stop the Brewery That's held by Sandy Flett, We hope to see the premises For better purpose let, And in a noble business way A better trade begin, No more let any market green Behold his tent of sin. The gentry of the White Horse Inn Have held sway long enough, And many a reeking hogshead's sold Of the accursed stuff, And in their house full many a seed Of evil, has been sown, We trust that Marwick's licensed house Will soon become unknown. Commercial and the mason's Arms Of whisky sweep them clear, That from their bars, may jolly tars Have nothing more to fear. Instead of sickening whisky fumes The song and ribald jest May in these stately buildings reign Peace, Quietness and Rest.
Black & white photo: From waist up 3 men from the Stromness Templars wearing suits and sashes pose for the camera in front of a window. Behind them, the faces of some women can be seen looking out from behind the window. Photo by R. H. Robertson taken 1898-1912. Sashes were purple velvet with gold fringe, rosette fastening at front. Badges, embroidered. IGOT on left and DDGCT on right.
Graphic that reads: The next Shoreline Ramble is next Fri 26 June at 1pm!
Photo of display case: 'The Victorian Collector'. Case contents includes taxidermy birds of prey, birds' eggs and birds' skulls.
Black and white photo of Stromness Football Players presented to Scalloway Gala Queen in the early 1960’s.
Stromness Shopping Week Queen and her attendants meet Rangers football players. Left to right: George Young (1922-1977), Sheena Barclay, Connie Groundwater, Helen Black, and Jerry Dawson (1909-1977).
Sketch by James Petrie based on eyewitness accounts of the Stronsay Beast.
Morph plasticine model standing next to a 3D replica model of Buddo in front of a model ship, with more model ships visible in the background.
Bag, trade: a brown paper bag: 'A ALLAN. BUTCHER & POULTERER, DUNDAS. ST., STROMNESS'.
Header illustration featuring two footballers in The Orcadian newspaper dated Thur 24 May 1951: 'The Week's Sport'
Photo of the Shoogly Holm sculpture in the sea alongside an Orkney Yole boat and the Swan drifter.
Letter to The Times dated 12 Dec 1933 by John Murray.
Letter to The Times dated 16 Dec 1933 by Natural Historian James Ritchie entitled ‘More About Monsters: The Sea Serpent of Stronsay’.
Sea Stories exhibition poster.
Lerwick Town Hall Stained glass window depicting Margaret, Maid of Norway who was briefly Queen regnant of Scotland. Photo Dated 21 July 2010 by Colin Smith / The Maid of Norway / CC BY-SA 2.0
Assorted views of St. Margaret's Hope, South Ronaldsay, c.1950s. Hourston Photographic Collection