Scalloway Museum recently welcomed a group of cadets from Norwegian sail training vessel Statsraad Lehmkuhl for a wreath laying ceremony at the Shetland Bus Memorial and a tour of the Prince Olav Slipway and museum.

During the service at the Memorial, trustee Stephen Leask paid tribute to the strong bonds between Shetland and Norway, saying that:

“The brave men remembered here fought for the freedom of their nation, and this gathering today celebrates the commitment made by our young Norwegian visitors who continue to cherish and honour that freedom.

"The strong bond between Shetland and Norway were forged in these times of hardship and danger and continue to this day, as these words from Captain Anderson of Oygarten, one of our regular visitors, verify.

"'It is a fact that the events of World War Two took place many years ago and some of those who remember this period are growing old and will pass away. In my opinion, it is our duty to maintain and develop the strong bonds and good relations these people established between Shetland and Norway. It is great to see that younger generations are now taking over and want to continue this relationship.’"

Scalloway was a crucial base for the Shetland Bus Operation and cadets had the opportunity to visit the Prince Olav Slipway which was recently restored by the museum with funding from both Shetland and Norway.

Scalloway Museum recently welcomed the Head of the Norwegian Department of Cultural Heritage & Ministry of Culture, Steinar Lien and the Head of War Norwegian War Graves Service, Haakon Vinje. Per Blystad from Stravanger who is the nephew of the Shetland Busman of the same name accompanied the tour. They visited the Scalloway Museum on the morning of Saturday 20th May and had a tour of the museum and Scalloway waterfront by Chairman Charlie Grant and trustee Jim Young. Here they are pictured at the Shetland Bus Memorial on Scalloway's waterfront.

The Shetland Bus Friendship Society (SBFS) and Scalloway Museum are pleased to announce that the Prince Olav Slipway Project is now 100 per cent funded. Getting to this stage has been a lot of work for the museum trustees, and we’re excited to share a little background to the project.
 
The slipway and cradle, originally constructed in 1942, are set to be reconstructed as a wartime exhibit for locals and visitors to enjoy as they uncover the Shetland Bus story in Scalloway.
 
At a meeting last week with local ship repair company Malakoff Ltd, SBFS instructed them to proceed with the reconstruction of the cradle and the refurbishment of the slipway. It has taken a lot of hard work to raise the money to fund the project. Almost half the sum was raised by our 'Friends in Norway', and the remainder has been wholly raised in Shetland, with the exception of a donation from The Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Trust.  
 
The reconstructed cradle and slipway refurbishment will capture a unique moment in the history of Shetland and Norway, and further strengthen the friendship between the two countries. It will also inform future generations of the endeavours of a wartime generation who did whatever was necessary to defend freedom. ​

Scalloway Museum was delighted to receive a new donation recently from Keith Henderson.

The find is believed to be a limpet pick, used for prising limpet shells from the rocks to use as bait.

Scalloway Museum is to hold an EGM on Wednesday 5th October 2022 at 7 pm at Scalloway Museum to consider an amendment to the constitution. A good turnout of members is requested.

Please take a moment to read the proposed constitution below and accept this invitation to attend.

​Scalloway Museum