A Summer of Anniversaries

Fifty years ago, on 28^th June 1966, the Shetland Museum was officially opened at the Hillhead in Lerwick, where the artefacts held by the county were on display for the first time. The building was visited by many people in the following forty years.

Forty years ago, on 6^th May 1976, the Shetland Archives service was first established. Originally based at 92 St Olaf Street, the records were moved to Harbour Street and then to the huts at King Harald Street in 1981.

Both services came together in the brand new Shetland Museum and Archives building at Hay’s Dock in 2007, providing a central point of history, heritage and learning for locals and visitors.

A series of events are planned in the coming weeks to mark these anniversaries.

This includes a display of artefacts which will be on display in the foyer from Monday 27^th June; 50 items from 50 years, including one donated item for every year the Museum has been open. A second display of unusual documents and quirky archive facts illustrating the history of the Shetland Archives will be unveiled the same day in the Archives display case on the mezzanine floor.

Curator, Ian Tait, and Archivist, Brian Smith, will take an anecdotal look back over 90 years of Museum and Archives services in a joint lecture event at 7.00pm on Tuesday 28^th June. This will be held in the Auditorium at Shetland Museum and Archives and tickets are on sale now from www.thelittleboxoffice.com/smaa, priced £3.50.

On Saturday 2^nd July, members of the public will be encouraged to take a ‘hock ida attic’ and unearth family heirlooms or unidentified treasures which can be brought to the Museum and Archives for an appraisal day. The Archivist and Curators will be on hand between 11.00am and 2.00pm in the Boat Hall to examine papers, artefacts, textiles or archaeology pieces and offer information and advice on origin and care. (please note values cannot be given)

There will also be a treasure hunt for the bairns to follow, finding the gold hidden within the collections and earning a prize. This will be a free activity, with entry sheets available from reception from Monday 27^th June.