The Orkney Museum
The Orkney Museum, housed in the historic Tankerness House in Kirkwall, offers one of the most comprehensive journeys through Orkney’s past, spanning thousands of years of human history. The building itself is a treasure: a fine 16th‑century townhouse with courtyards, stairways and period details that frame the museum’s collections. An interesting fact is that Tankerness House once belonged to the Baikie family, influential figures in Orkney’s civic life, and parts of the structure still reflect their domestic world. Inside, the museum unfolds chronologically. The prehistoric galleries are a highlight, displaying artefacts from Skara Brae, Maeshowe and other world‑famous sites. You can see stone tools, pottery, jewellery and carved objects that reveal how Neolithic islanders lived. The Viking and medieval rooms add drama, with weapons, runic stones and everyday items that trace Orkney’s Norse heritage. Later sections explore the islands’ role in the Scottish kingdom, the development of Kirkwall, and the impact of the World Wars—especially poignant given Orkney’s strategic position. The Baikie Library, preserved within the house, offers a glimpse of 19th‑century scholarship.
Kirkwall Scotland
The Orkney Museum is right in the centre of Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. The address is The Orkney Museum, Tankerness House, Broad Street, Kirkwall KW15 1DH. It sits directly opposite St Magnus Cathedral, so you really can't miss it. The house itself dates back to the 1530s and was home to the Baikie family for over 300 years before becoming a museum. It is free to visit and has lovely little gardens tucked away behind it. Because it's in the middle of Kirkwall, everything is close by. Opposite you have St Magnus Cathedral, the magnificent 12th century red sandstone cathedral. Just next to that are the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces on Watergate, two ruined palaces right in town, one medieval and one Renaissance. A few minutes walk away is the Orkney Wireless Museum on Junction Road, packed with wartime radios and photos, and the harbour with boats to other islands. Further out on Mainland Orkney you have Skaill House and Skara Brae at the Bay of Skaill, the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness stone circles, and Highland Park Distillery for a tour.
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