The keepers' case
Lamps, logbooks and letters from Skerry Light, manned until 1989
Home Collections Rare artefacts
03 — Instruments
Rare artefacts
The small things that crossed great oceans — instruments, keepsakes and ship's fittings, each with a voyage attached.
What the collection holds
Finding the way
Octants, chronometers and hand-drawn charts — including the 1748 North Sea chart our guides still navigate by on open days.
Sailors' keepsakes
Scrimshaw, sailor's valentines and carved whalebone — art made in hammocks on voyages that lasted years.
Ships' fittings
Bells, binnacles, figureheads and lanterns raised from wrecks and retired hulls around the Thistlewick coast.
Not to miss
Small objects, long voyages
Wreck & rescue
Breeches buoys, medals and the Mallaig lifeboat bell
Research visits
Our study room holds 4,000 charts, logs and photographs. Researchers can book a table on Thursday mornings — write to us and tell us what voyage you're tracing.
Book the study room
