Located in the conservation village of Port Charlotte, on the island of Islay, Argyll and Bute, the Museum of Islay Life has exhibits which illustrate the history of the island from prehistoric times to the 20th Century. Exhibits include the geology, archaeology and social history of the island. The museum also displays items from ships wrecked along the Islay coastline. The museum opened in 1977 occupying the former Kilchoman Free Church, with the aim of conserving artefacts and documents which tell the story of Islay. The Gordon Booth library holds a collection of books, papers and records relating to Islay. There is also a substantial archive of photographs.
The building dates from c.1845, constructed to serve the new Free Church congregation following the Disruption. In 1900 the Free Church united with the United Presbyterian Church to become the United Free Church, and this in turn returned to the established Church of Scotland in 1929. Thereafter this building became disused.
