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Tours

Make the most of your visit with us and join us on a tour to ensure you see the highlights of our museum and our Recognised Collections.

Daily tours

Up Helly Aa 2025

Viking Life in Shetland Tour | Tickets £10

From early settlement to Viking arrival; join this tour to find out the impact Norse people brought to everyday life in Shetland. Language, architecture, cultural beliefs and more will be explored, by one of our knowledgeable visitor assistants, to highlight the influences from this period which contribute to the rich heritage Shetland has today.

Friday, 24 January 11am - 12pm & 2pm - 3pm
Saturday, 25 January 11am - 12pm & 2pm - 3pm
Sunday, 26 January 12pm - 1pm & 2pm - 3pm
Monday, 27 January 11am - 12pm & 2pm - 3pm
Tuesday, 28 January 11am - 12pm

We run daily tours throughout the summer months (July - Sept)
Tours commence from the museum foyer at 2.30pm and last approx. 45 minutes | Tickets £10

Our 2025 schedule will be available soon.

Last year's tours took place on the following days:
Mondays - Highlights of Shetland Museum
Tuesdays - Shetland's Crofting Past
Thursdays - Shetland's Textile Treasures
Saturdays - History of Hay's Dock

We can also offer private tours out with the summer season - contact us at bookings@shetlandamenity.org to arrange, please note a minimum fee for 8 people will apply.

• Highlights of Shetland Museum - Join a member of our Visitor Experience Team on a highlights tour of Shetland Museum to cover the ground floor gallery zone. On the tour, they will point out key artefacts, and provide further information from each era, to provide you with a potted history of Shetland to the 19th century. For a general introduction to our collections, or for those who have limited time, this is a perfect place to start.
• Shetland's Crofting Past - Join a member of our Visitor Experience Team who also happens to be a crofter with a flock of native sheep, to learn all about Shetland's crofting past and our native breeds. Built on a necessity to survive in our harsh climate, you'll take a look back at the life of most rural Shetlanders in the 17th and 18th century and the importance of land, animals and local ingenuity to survive.
• Shetland's Textile Treasures - For those particularly interested in Shetland's famous textile industry, you'll be guided on a tour of both our lower and upper galleries to tell the story of our knitting history. Now a recognised collection of national significance, you'll get the chance to learn much more about the lace and Fair Isle knitwear we have on display and the importance of this industry to Shetland.
• History of Hay's Dock - Join a member of our Visitor Experience Team, who happens to be a retired fisherman, to learn all about the area surrounding Shetland Museum & Archives, known as Hay's Dock. For such a small dock area it highlights much of the changes over time to Shetland's commercial maritime past which you'll be guided through. You'll also learn about some of the boats, built in the boat-sheds which remain on site, and take a look at the history of some other ventures based at the dock too.

Travel Trade / Group Tours

We also have a range of group tours available for the travel trade.
Prices: are based on a min of 8 and max of 15 people per tour. Groups larger than 15 can be split.
Booking: please email us at bookings@shetlandamenity.org to arrange your group tour.

* VEA - Visitor Experience Assistant