Arts & Culture

Orkney and Shetland

Orcadian culture is rooted in the past with worldwide fame and recognition for Orkney's Neolithic sites of Skara Brae, The Ring of Brodgar and Maeshow designated World Heritage status by UNESCO.  Orkney's historic culture is explored further at the Orkney museum in Tankerness House with collections ranging from neolithic times to the present.

Ring of Brodgar

As well as being historically important, St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall acts as a venue for the St Magnus Cathedral Choir and hosts concerts during the midsummer St Magnus Festival.

Local museums in Orkney include Stromness Museum and Corrigall Farm Museum which explore the maritime and farming heritage of the area. For something of a more quirky nature visit the Orkney Wireless Museum in Kirkwall - a museum dedicated to wireless sets and their technology.

An outstanding twentieth century art collection is housed at the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness. The permanent collection includes works by Eduardo Paolozzi and Barbara Hepworth.

Shetland's heritage and culture is brought to life at Shetland Museumwhich covers all aspects of Shetland's historys.The St Ninian's Isle Treasure - a silver hoard hidden by Shetlanders from Vikings in 800 AD- is on show at the museum until October.

Local museums in Shetland explore various local areas and aspects ofShetlander's lives. These include Unst Heritage Centre for maritime memories, the Shetland Crofthouse Museum, The Fetlar InterpretiveCentre and Bressay Heritage Centre.

Shetland Arts promote a wide range of arts across Shetland including theatre and film at the Garrison Theatre in Lerwick and exhibitions at Bonhoga gallery in Weisdale Mill. A new music and cinema venue, Mareel, is due to open in 2010.

North East and Morayshire

Go back in time at the Archaeloink prehistory park in Aberdeenshire or visit the largest Pictish fort in Scotland at the Burghead visitor centre.

There are rich art collections across the area ranging from an internationally renowned collection of paintings at Aberdeen Art Gallery to Duff House in Banff.

Discover the area's maritime heritage - this ranges from the whaling connection at Arbuthnot museum to the oil industry at Aberdeen Maritime Museum. The Museum of Scottish Lighthouses in Fraserburgh consists of the first lighthouse built on mainland Scotland and a museum containg lighthouse artefacts.

Marischal College

Rural and industrial heritage is uncovered at the Fordyce joiners workshop and Tomintoul Visitors Centre which contains a farmhouse and smithy. Aberdeen University houses a huge collection of archaelogical and historical material and covers topics from anatomy to zoology.

Theatre-goers can choose from larger venues such as His Majestys in Aberdeen to smaller venues such as The Warehouse Theatre in Lossiemouth.

Have we missed your favourite theatre, gallery or museum?