The Skye Museum of Island Life, Isle of Skye
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Okay, I'll admit it: there's nothing I love more than a bit of history. Even as a small child, I remember picking up a big book all about Scottish history and reading it every night as I went to bed.
I had an day off recently and decided it was the perfect time to drive north and head to The Skye Museum of Island Life. This picturesque museum on the Trotternish Peninsula near the village of Kilmuir details the ins and outs of what crofting life on the Isle of Skye would have looked like.
The Museum itself is made up of a handful of different thatched croft buildings, with various different exhibits showing the way that life would have been on the island. From a shop to a blacksmith to a stable, each different place tells a story of what life looked like in this place not so long ago. Tickets into the Museum cost £8, which I thought was really reasonable for what was a really in-depth and interesting place.
One of my favourite exhibits included a house which detailed more of the story of one of Skye's most famous heroines, Flora Macdonald. She lived in this end of the island a couple of times throughout her life and is actually buried in the cemetary just a bit further along the road. Another exhibit I loved to see was all about the everyday parts of island life that make such a huge difference, including schooling and Christianity. I really enjoyed reading all about the early missionaries who first came to share the Gospel in the Hebrides, and the places all around the island that have been named after these people.
Probably my favourite house at the Museum, though, was the Old Croft House, which was still lived in until 1957. Inside was a traditional family home which would have been typical in the Hebrides until very recently. I just loved seeing all the little details inside this house and imagining just what life would have been like for the people who lived here.
If you're a history nut like me and love learning about the unique way of life people had here on the Isle of Skye, The Museum of Island Life is a great place to visit. I'm so glad I've now been. It would also be a great spot to visit on a rainy day (although I imagine it could get quite busy on these days). There's also the Highland Deli and Takeaway next door where you can get a coffee, some lunch or cake, and even pay a couple of pounds to visit their Highland cows.
Looking for some more historic places to visit around the Scottish Highlands? Be sure to check out my other recommendations below
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