Orkney Arts, Museums and Heritage

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Orkney Arts, Museums and Heritage Orkney Museums care for five visitor attractions within the County. These include: Scapa Flow Museum, St.

Magnus Cathedral, Kirbuster Farm Museum, and Orkney Museum. Please ensure you read our social media policy at www.orkney.gov.uk/SocialMedia

14/10/2026

Today is the official launch of the 'Voices from Scapa Flow' podcast. Discover the important story of how the influx of thousands of service people affected the daily lives of the people of Orkney, and left a lasting legacy on the archipelago. From the First World War to the present day, it’s told by Orcadians in their own voices.

The first 5 episodes are published today! Watch the attached video for a sneak peek at an episode, then listen to the full series from wherever you are.

You can also visit Scapa Flow Museum, where there are now audio points around the museum so you can hear the voices as you explore.

New episodes will be released every couple of weeks, so there will always be another story to look forward to.

👉 Visit https://bit.ly/4s8mIry to listen, keep up to date with the latest episodes and/or sign up on your preferred platform.

Don’t miss an episode. Subscribe today and hear Orkney’s own voices.

Voices from Scapa Flow is produced by in collaboration with Scapa Flow Museum . It is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund,thanks to National Lottery players. Delivered in partnership with The Space Arts & Museums and Heritage Highland.

12/10/2026

Watch the launch trailer for Voices from Scapa Flow!

Our new project is shaped by the voices of Orcadians themselves; people speaking about their lives, their families, and the history these islands have lived through, from the First World War to present day. Press play on the trailer to hear a taste of what's to come.

Visit https://bit.ly/4s8mIry to keep up to date with the latest podcast episodes or sign up on your preferred podcast platform.

And you’re invited to hear more in person! Join us at Scapa Flow Museum on Wednesday 14th October at 11:30am for the official launch.

Our curator will welcome everyone and explain how we secured the funding and why we chose this subject. We’ll also thank the participants, archives and funders who made it possible. You’ll have the chance to listen to some of the stations in the museum, and there will be tea, coffee and sandwiches for all.

Everyone is welcome. Come and hear the voices for yourself.


đź“Ť Scapa Flow Museum
đź—“ Wednesday 14th October, 11:30am

Voices from Scapa Flow is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd in collaboration with Scapa Flow Museum . It is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund , thanks to National Lottery players. Delivered in partnership with The Space Arts & Museums and Heritage Highland The National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland

Morning folks - unfortunately we've had to cancel this Saturday's special theme tour, 'The Saints of the Cathedral'. We ...
08/10/2026

Morning folks - unfortunately we've had to cancel this Saturday's special theme tour, 'The Saints of the Cathedral'. We apologise for the short notice.

You can find details of our upcoming special tours in the comments below 👇

What was life really like for the people who lived and worked around Scapa Flow during the First and Second World Wars?S...
06/10/2026

What was life really like for the people who lived and worked around Scapa Flow during the First and Second World Wars?

Scapa Flow Museum is launching a new audio project of 40 to 50 stories, each between 5 and 15 minutes long. It brings together newly recorded interviews, digitised archive sound, and readings from personal diaries and letters, some made public for the very first time.

You'll hear about:
âš“ The first British civilian killed in enemy action in WWII
⛪ The friendship between families that grew from the building of the Italian Chapel
🤿 The dangers of salvage diving on the scuttled German fleet
đź’Ť A wartime wedding that was cancelled, then salvaged

The series launches on 14 October, the anniversary of the sinking of HMS Royal Oak in 1939, and will be available on all major podcast platforms. Excerpts will also feature in four new listening stations at the museum on Hoy.

Keep an eye on our pages for future posts with details of in-person events.

Voices from Scapa Flow is produced by Adventurous Audio Ltd in collaboration with Scapa Flow Museum . It is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players. Delivered in partnership with The Space Arts & Museums and Heritage Highland
The National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland

Sooans is back at Kirbuster! The first sooans day was such a success that we're hosting a second!Join us in the historic...
29/09/2026

Sooans is back at Kirbuster!

The first sooans day was such a success that we're hosting a second!

Join us in the historic firehoose at Kirbuster Farm Museum to see how this traditional Orcadian oat food is made, and get hands-on with querning and sieving the oats. This time we're also joined by Veronica Sinotte, who will explain what's happening during fermentation and introduce you to the hidden world of the microbes.

Saturday 3rd October
11am to 4pm
Veronica's talks: 11.30am and 2pm
Kirbuster Farm Museum, Birsay
Free entry

Held in partnership with the Sowens Solutions project (UHI Archaeology Institute, University of Copenhagen and James Hutton Institute, funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation).

Got memories of sooans? The researchers would love to hear from you: [email protected]

The exhibition exploring Orkney's historical connections to the transatlantic slave trade closes this Saturday 26 Septem...
25/09/2026

The exhibition exploring Orkney's historical connections to the transatlantic slave trade closes this Saturday 26 September, so there are just a few days left to visit.

Combining original printmaking by Orkney-based artist Carolyn Dixon with archival research spanning records from Scotland, England and the Americas, the exhibition uncovers the stories of Orcadians connected to slavery between the 17th and 19th centuries - and reveals that slavery was not unknown in Orkney itself, with evidence of enslaved and formerly enslaved people present in Kirkwall and Stromness.

Every community has chapters of its history that are complex and hard to confront. Sharing them openly helps build a fuller, more honest understanding of the past and its lasting legacies.

Please be aware that the exhibition contains historical material relating to slavery, including references to the violence experienced by enslaved people. Some documents use language reflecting the attitudes of the period, which some visitors may find upsetting. This language has been retained as part of the historical record and is presented in its original context. The exhibition is intended for thoughtful engagement, and we encourage visitors to take their time with the material.

đź“… Closing Saturday 26 September 2026
đź“Ť Orkney Museum, Kirkwall
🕥 Mon–Sat, 10.30am–5pm | Free entry

You can read more about the exhibition here 👉 https://bit.ly/4xVGpFr

The next Cathedral Special Theme Tour, scheduled for Wednesday September 23rd, has been postponed.But never fear, we sti...
19/09/2026

The next Cathedral Special Theme Tour, scheduled for Wednesday September 23rd, has been postponed.
But never fear, we still have plenty of tours on offer, even into the autumn and winter. See full programme here: https://orkneymuseums.co.uk/st-magnus-cathedral-tours/

If you'd like to experience the cathedral organ in all its glory, please come by on Doors Open Day Saturday 19th Septemb...
17/09/2026

If you'd like to experience the cathedral organ in all its glory, please come by on Doors Open Day Saturday 19th September.
Visitors will have a chance to hear Cathedral and City Organist Michael Mappin play the organ 1200-1230, 1400-1430 and 1600-1630. Between 1300 and 1400 Michael will also be supervising a “try the organ” session, inviting visitors to have a quick go themselves!

“Wild, Still”. A Visual Study of Isolation, Adaptation, and the Ecological Legacy of the Wild Cattle of Swona. By Josh S...
10/09/2026

“Wild, Still”. A Visual Study of Isolation, Adaptation, and the Ecological Legacy of the Wild Cattle of Swona.
By Josh Spindler.
4th September – 23rd September 2026

"Wild, Still" brings together art and scientific research to explore the UK's only truly wild cattle herd, living on Swona, an uninhabited island in the Pentland Firth, one of Europe's most treacherous stretches of water. Over two years, photographer Josh Spindler built the project, working closely with Howie Firth, of the Orkney Science Festival, learning from the Annal family to understand the island, its history, and its remarkable cattle, and bringing archaeologist Ingrid Mainland on board, to create an exhibition that reveals Swona from an entirely new perspective.
For the first time, the skeleton of a Swona cow is displayed alongside contemporary photography, bone scans, and laboratory imagery. Together, these works examine themes of wilderness, adaptation, isolation, and the enduring impact of human absence. By combining artistic practice with scientific investigation, “Wild, still” offers a rare insight into this extraordinary population while reflecting on our evolving relationship with wild animals and the ecological heritage of Orkney.

Due to other activities taking place in the cathedral, there will be NO 10am ground floor tour on Tuesday September 8th ...
04/09/2026

Due to other activities taking place in the cathedral, there will be NO 10am ground floor tour on Tuesday September 8th and Wednesday September 9th.
The ground floor tour will be back as usual on Thursday September 10th. See our website for the full tour schedule: https://orkneymuseums.co.uk/st-magnus-cathedral-tours/

Address

Orkney IsIands Council, School Place
Kirkwall
KW151NY

Opening Hours

Monday 10:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 10:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 10:30am - 5pm
Thursday 10:30am - 5pm
Friday 10:30am - 5pm
Saturday 10:30am - 5pm

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