Bernera Historical Society

About

Bernera Historical Society was founded in 1991 and is based in Bernera Community Centre. The Society runs a registered museum which incorporates displays and interpretation on topics relating to the island of Great Bernera. 

The collection comprises approximately 500 artefacts which illustrate the domestic, economic, cultural and religious life of Bernera district. Its strengths lie mainly in the fields of domestic, social life, fishing and the sea. There is also a large collection of genealogical and croft reference material available for research.

The Society also manages an experimental reconstruction of an Iron Age House close to the original dig at Bosta Beach. A guide welcomes visitors to the house and explains why and how it was built, as well as how the people may have lived there during the 8^th century.

Collections

As a founder member of Hebridean Connections, much of the society’s genealogical data, archive material and artefacts have been digitised and are available via this community digital archive. The museum tells of important events and places in the history of Bernera through a mix of story boards and objects.

• Oral history recordings
• George Macleod’s original book on fishing, Seoras Chaluim Sheorais
• Bardachd
• Thule shop ledger
• Photographs
• Village genealogies and croft histories
• Carved bone objects from excavations at Bosta Iron Age village
• Stone carved ball
• Fishing related items
• Ship models