Community Heritage information
The Outer Hebrides Heritage Services have strong links with the network of community-based heritage organisations based throughout the islands. Comainn Eachdraidh (historical societies) are volunteer-led. Many of the societies have premises, including accredited and non-accredited museums, which can be visited by the public. Their collections include archives, genealogies, photographs, oral histories, and artefacts. These rich collections reflect local communities and their cultures, and complement collections held by the Outer Hebrides Heritage Services.
Other local heritage organisations include bodies such as the Western Isles Transport Preservation Group, the Islands Book Trust, and the Hebridean Connections digital archive.
The Outer Hebrides Heritage Forum (Comann Dualchas Innse Gall), established in 2018, is the umbrella organisation for community heritage groups. Its key aims are to enable community heritage organisations in the Outer Hebrides to work collaboratively and to create more resilience in the sector. Their Development Officer can be contacted here.
Find out more about the individual organisations and their collections in this listing. Please note that it is recommended that visitors contact organisations in advance of a visit, as Outer Hebrides Heritage Services cannot guarantee that all information is up to date. We welcome feedback for any amendments.
