Shetland Amenity Trust secures successful funding for maritime heritage project
Shetland Amenity Trust is delighted to announce that it has been approved funding of just under £97,000 from the Coastal Communities Fund to embark on an exciting new maritime heritage initiative at Shetland Museum and Archives. This transformative project, set to begin in early 2025, aims to preserve and promote both the tangible and the intangible cultural heritage surrounding traditional boat use in Shetland and encourage interaction with these traditions.
The project will revitalise the museum’s historic Boat Shed, developing it into an atmospheric hub for learning, interpretation, and preservation. It will highlight Shetland’s renowned wooden clinker-built vernacular craft, dating back to the 19th century, which reflect the islands’ rich history of trade, fishing, and seafaring. The museum’s boat collection includes traditional craft such as Ness yoal Maggie, haddock boat Mary, cod boat Anne and other smaller craft which are unique to the islands. Also included within the display will be other small boats held in the collection which have important historical contexts such as the lifeboat from the liner Oceanic and the jollyboat from the passenger steamer St Sunniva.
Work will be undertaken to make the interior of the Boat Shed suitable for accessible museum-standard display of boats and will incorporate a workshop and viewing platform. This will enable visitors to get very close to authentic boats, witness traditional boat maintenance and learn skills involved with the construction and upkeep of Shetland’s vernacular boats.
“This funding is a significant milestone and marks the first phase of our broader maritime plans for the museum,” said Tracey Hawkins, project curator at Shetland Museum and Archives. “We are excited to bring new life to the Boat Shed, creating an immersive space where the community and visitors can actively engage with Shetland’s maritime heritage. We will be able to display wooden boats from the museum’s collection and tell the story of trade and fisheries that Shetland has been built on, with connections to the maritime regions of Scandinavia, Europe, Scotland and around the coast of the British Isles.
“In the summer we’ll be able to use the space for live demonstrations, storytelling, music and temporary exhibitions. The project celebrates the unique boat culture that has shaped our islands, while also sharing the skills and knowledge needed to preserve this vital aspect of our history for future generations.”
