Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean

24/06/2026

'When the Sea Meets the Road' is currently on display in Museum nan Eilean, Stornoway.

This exhibitions celebrates the people who work on the ferries, harbours, and offices across the CalMac network.

Next up we have Moira MacIver from North Uist (centre back) who started with Caledonian MacBrayne over 20 years ago. She is now a Senior Port Assistant who sells tickets, deals with customers, organises staff and, weather permitting, makes sure everything is ready for ferries to depart on time. Here she is with the rest of her team at the retirement of Mary Morrison, Port Manager in Lochmaddy for 41 years.

Come and visit to see more past and present staff memories and stories.

Photo credit: copyright Nicki Woodhead

23/06/2026

Aghaidhean ùra / New faces

Come and visit the six chess pieces that are only on display at Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, Stornoway until the end of the summer, which are on loan from the British Museum .

Although this pawn is the plainest of the displayed pieces it is still an important piece within chess, as they are the foundation of any chess strategy. This pawn is made from walrus ivory and has a pointed top and an octagonal shape.

This is the first time that this piece has been on display in the Outer Hebrides and has not been in Scotland since 1995. It has however travelled to the USA and most recently to Norway. Come and visit him and the other beautiful chess pieces.

Our opening hours can be found at https://outerhebridesheritage.org.uk/

For more about the research into the Lewis chess pieces visit https://www.britishmuseum.org/.../rethinking-lewis-chess...

Image credits:
Pawn © The Trustees of the British Museum

17/06/2026

'When the Sea Meets the Road' is currently on display in Museum nan Eilean, Stornoway.

This exhibitions celebrates the people who work on the ferries, harbours, and offices across the CalMac network.

Next up is Alex Morrison who hails from the Isle of Lewis and like many island seafarers, completed his initial pre-sea training at Lews Castle College, Stornoway. He started his career with J&J Denholm, a Glasgow deep-sea shipping company. In 1974, he got a job with Caledonian MacBrayne, as second mate on MV Iona in Oban. It was intended to be short-term until he found another deep-sea post. However, Alex stayed with the company for 45 years, working his way up until he retired by ‘swallowing the anchor’ at the age of 69.

Come and visit to see more past and present staff memories and stories.

17/06/2026

Come and join our Team at Museum nan Eilean Stornoway.

Closing date 22 June

See the link for how to apply and the full job description

View details and apply for this arts / museums / libraries role in with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on myjobscotland

16/06/2026

'Following the Fish' is currently on display in Museum nan Eilean, Lioancleit, Benbecula

It explores the unsung stories of the herring girls who between 1850 and 1950 travelled hundreds of miles across the UK following the herring fishing fleets.

Below is a postcard from the Museum nan Eilean collection that shows packing herring barrels at Stornoway harbour c.1910. Postcards from Barra, Lochboisdale, Loch Skipport and Lochmaddy on display.

This was a joint partnership project between Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, High Life Highland and the Highland Archive Centre, Suffolk Archives, and the Norfolk Record Office to capture stories from across the country.



Image: Museum nan Eilean Collections

https://outerhebridesheritage.org.uk/event/following-the-fish/

16/06/2026

JOIN US for a Keep Nato Out Archive Open Night
Do you recall the KNO Campaign of 1979-1990s? Come and share your reflections.
When: Wednesday 17th June 5pm-6.30 pm
Where: Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, Learning Room, Stornoway
Including:
• Talk by Angus McCormack, former Chairman of KNO
• View some of the collection highlights
• Share your memories of this and other peace campaigns
• Demo of archive catalogue

https://outerhebridesheritage.org.uk/event/keep-nato-out-archive-open-night/

JOIN US for an informal Open Night Recalling the Keep Nato Out campaign of the 1980s View a display of some of the highlights from the archive Talk by Angus McCormack, former Chairman of KNO Share your memories and reflections of the campaign Demo and overview of archive catalogue

16/06/2026

Aghaidhean ùra / New faces
Come and visit the six chess pieces that are only on display at Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean, Stornoway until the end of the summer, which are on loan from the British Museum.

Among them is this heroic looking knight, beautifully carved out of walrus ivory. Excitingly this is the first time that he has been on display in Museum nan Eilean and he hasn't been on display in Scotland since 1995 so this is a great opportunity to visit him.

The bearded knight is wearing a conical helmet, and a long girded tunic. He is armed with a spear and kite-shaped shield. The shield is inscribed with a lozenge (diamond shape) within a square. He also has a sword suspended from a baldric (a wide decorative belt) over his shoulder. He is mounted on a sturdy horse which is dressed in caparison (a decorative cloth) worn for parades and jousting competitions rather than for battle.

Our opening hours can be found at https://outerhebridesheritage.org.uk/

For more about the research into the Lewis chess pieces visit https://www.britishmuseum.org/.../rethinking-lewis-chess...
Image credits:
Knight © The Trustees of the British Museum

13/06/2026

JOIN US for a Keep Nato Out Archive Open Night
Do you recall the KNO Campaign of 1979-1990s? Come and share your reflections.
Wednesday 17th June 5pm-6.30 pm at Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean learning room, Lews Castle, Stornoway
Including:
• Talk by Angus McCormack, former Chairman of KNO
• View some of the collection highlights
• Share your memories of this and other peace campaigns
• Demo of archive catalogue