Stromness Museum
Stromness Museum
4.4
11:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Monday
11:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Sunday
Closed
About
Welcome to Stromness Museum. Stromness Museum is an independent museum based in Stromness, Orkney. We host special exhibitions and have a range of permanent galleries, welcoming visitors throughout the year. You can also browse our collections online.
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4.4
241 reviews
Excellent
140
Very good
73
Average
20
Poor
7
Terrible
1
Chris M
Wetherby, UK1,701 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
We visited Stromness on a very wet day, and walked from the Ferry Terminal Car Park approx. 800 metres through the narrow main street to the Museum, which is signposted en-route. The museum is housed in an old building with exhibits in a number of rooms over three floors and disabled access is limited at some points. On entering and paying we received a very friendly welcome and were handed a summary laminated guide to assist progressing around the building. Access to some of the exhibits was a little congested, but the number of visitors may have been greater than normal due to the weather. Whilst many of the displays understandably related to the local and surrounding area, we were pleasantly surprised about the wider overall range of exhibits, including some that were quite unusual. Some of the displays would benefit from being less cluttered, but overall, we found it a very interesting visit.
Written 17 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lauren T
Leeds, UK53 contributions
May 2024 • Family
Really fun family day out. The member of staff working on the reception was very friendly and welcoming. They had a Lego hunt, with a checklist for children, made it fun for everyone looking for the little Lego people, very well hidden! Lots of interesting things, packed into a small space; learnt a lot about the history of Orkney.
Would love to come back soon.
Would love to come back soon.
Written 22 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jenny H
Salisbury, UK85 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
Excellent collection of local curiosities showcasing local world expertise as well as events of national significance. Upstairs collection of taxidermy may not be to everyone’s taste! Mineralogy first rate
Written 22 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth S
Derbyshire, UK95 contributions
Aug 2022
We booked in advance for a one hour trip about the museum with the curator. We had far longer than an hour with Janette, who showed us her favourite parts of the museum. She was very informative and engaging, and the tour was absolutely fascinating. There is a lot packed into this museum, and we came away having learned a lot more about the history of Stromness, Dr John Rae, WW1 and WW2 Orkney, the Hudson Bay Company, and the birds and wildlife of Orkney. We can thoroughly recommend a visit to the museum, and the tour with the curator in particular.
Written 10 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WendyLou03
Lincolnshire, UK179 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
This fantastic Museum is a must! There is so much to see, history, geology, artifacts and so much more.
The Museum is accessible for a Wheelchair user with help, there are 2 steps leading into the Museum which are not much of a problem if someone can help to pull the Wheelchair up the steps backwards.
Once in, the ground floor is accessible and there is a stair lift to the Natural History gallery. However there is no access for wheelchair users after this.
There is a toilet at the Museum that is accessible for disabled people.
The history of Orkney is everywhere in the Museum, fantastic displays that tell a story are everywhere, which are changed from time to time. So there is every reason to visit the museum as often as you can. There are books for sale that are cheaper than retail book shops or other places, so bag a bargain.
The Museum is accessible for a Wheelchair user with help, there are 2 steps leading into the Museum which are not much of a problem if someone can help to pull the Wheelchair up the steps backwards.
Once in, the ground floor is accessible and there is a stair lift to the Natural History gallery. However there is no access for wheelchair users after this.
There is a toilet at the Museum that is accessible for disabled people.
The history of Orkney is everywhere in the Museum, fantastic displays that tell a story are everywhere, which are changed from time to time. So there is every reason to visit the museum as often as you can. There are books for sale that are cheaper than retail book shops or other places, so bag a bargain.
Written 4 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StuartPearceBadger
3 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
We visited this on spec, and frankly this was a mistake. First to say, this means we hadn't researched it in advance, and when we entered, there was a lady at a desk but no welcome or hint that the museum was chargeable, except for a donations box (which is pretty common round here). We walked round the corner, only for the lady to get up and inform us that we had to pay. OK, fair enough, but a prominent list of charges might have been easier. And a little hint of pleasantness, rather than an abrupt reminder to pay (and when I said "oh sorry, I saw the donations box and assumed that was how it worked, the unsmiling response "well you can donate as well if you want").
And what did we get for our money? Well, frankly the whole thing is a little neglected and dingy, no sense of a history or journey, no-one to offer us assistance or help about things to see. Really rather a depressing experience. Compared, for example, with the Scapa Flow museum on Hoy, where a cheery welcome and willing assistance whenever asked was the order of the day. £7.50 each? Blimey.
Like I said, our fault for not checking the web site first.
And what did we get for our money? Well, frankly the whole thing is a little neglected and dingy, no sense of a history or journey, no-one to offer us assistance or help about things to see. Really rather a depressing experience. Compared, for example, with the Scapa Flow museum on Hoy, where a cheery welcome and willing assistance whenever asked was the order of the day. £7.50 each? Blimey.
Like I said, our fault for not checking the web site first.
Written 30 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Stuart,
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback about your recent visit to our museum. We apologise that your experience did not meet your expectations and that you left feeling disappointed.
We appreciate your comments regarding the lack of signage about admission charges and the initial welcome you received. We understand how this could have caused confusion, and we will certainly review our signage and staff training to ensure a more informative and welcoming experience for our visitors.
We are also sorry to hear that you found the museum to be neglected and lacking in engaging content. We strive to provide an enriching and informative experience within our historic building, and your feedback is invaluable as it helps us identify areas for improvement.
Comparisons to other museums are helpful, and we will take your comments on board to enhance the overall visitor experience. We are committed to making necessary improvements to ensure our exhibits are well-maintained and our staff is always available to assist and provide information.
Thank you again for your feedback. We hope you will consider visiting us again in the future to see the improvements we are making.
Kind regards,
Gareth
Stromness Museum
Written 3 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chris C
Devizes, UK10 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
We were visiting the area for a couple of
Weeks and decided to visit this wonderful
Museum. They have a package where you get a tour of the museum with the curator, something I would recommend. The tour set the scene for the rest of our holiday and greatly enhanced our experience of the island as we had a good idea of what the look for. The exhibits are well presented and greatly cared for and as always, there is never enough time to see everything.
Weeks and decided to visit this wonderful
Museum. They have a package where you get a tour of the museum with the curator, something I would recommend. The tour set the scene for the rest of our holiday and greatly enhanced our experience of the island as we had a good idea of what the look for. The exhibits are well presented and greatly cared for and as always, there is never enough time to see everything.
Written 4 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Folkestoner
Folkestone75 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
I visited with my sister on a Sunday morning. I am in a wheelchair and access from outside at least seemed that it might be problematic. In fact what I found was that bad. I could access the ground and the mezzanine levels. Only the top floor wasn't accessible. The museum is in an old building and has been used for various functions in the past, including the Town Hall. It is literally packed with exhibits. I found it very interesting to learn more about the notable famous folk from the town, of the rich and unique neolithic sites as well the naval histories, amongst other things. The museum lies further down the Ferry road from the terminal and takes a few more minutes to walk to , but is completely worthwhile visiting. The welcome was warm and very well informed
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeremy W
Bishops Stortford, UK56 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Yet another of the invariably fascinating, small museums connecting these isles & their people with their extraordinary history. They shed understanding & an often very personal light on what life was like here, all the way back. Thus museum’s very full of things but, for the bits which interest you, wholly absorbing. Not far out of the way, it’s well worth finding.
Written 21 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gulya
17 contributions
Nov 2021
This is a living history of Orkneys and its inhabitants, their connection to the far-away places in the world and how they promoted one's desire for adventurism and exploration. Moreover, the museum gives an amazing account of the events at Scapa Flow during two World Wars. Gareth, the museum attendant, is so knowledgeable and helpful, we really appreciated his insights! We hope to be back one day.
Written 6 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I've had problems before with disability access. I'm not in a wheelchair, but I can't do stairs. I went to one museum in Ireland where the only lift was out of order, so...waste of time! Is this museum over various floors? If so, is there a lift?
Written 21 April 2019
The museum has one main room at ground floor level and two sets of rooms upstairs that go up from two staircases at either side of the main room. I can recollect a stairlift on the left hand stairs but I cannot remember if there was a stairlift on the right hand side. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
Written 22 April 2019
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