Museum of Islay Life

The award winning Museum of Islay Life displays items that illustrate life in Islay, from prehistoric to more modern times. The museum is managed by the Islay Museums Trust, which was formed in 1976 and is housed in the former Free Church in Port Charlotte.

The museums main collection consists of over 2,700 objects, from farming implements, relics from shipping disasters, paper archives and nearly 5,000 photographs.

Exhibits include an important collection of carved stones, an array of domestic items, which are mainly from the Victorian era and the clockworks from the Rhinns lighthouse. There is also an extensive library and archive, with books related to Islay’s history.