A modern museum located next to Scalloway Castle, the Scalloway Museum was converted from a disused knitwear factory at a cost of £1 million. It was opened by Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg on 17th May 2012, commemorating the close ties between Norway and Shetland and marking the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Norwegian Naval Special Unit (informally known as the Shetland Bus), which operated from Scalloway. The Shetland Bus represents a prominent part of the museum's exhibits, a tribute to those who transported resistance fighters and equipment into Norway during the Second World War. Other displays and a diverse range of artefacts describe the archaeology, social history, trade and industry of Scalloway and its hinterland, including information about notable local personalities.
The museum is owned by Shetland Bus Friendship Society and run by volunteers. This Society was formed in 2001 to create a permanent tribute to the men who lost their lives during these operations, and the Shetland Bus Memorial was unveiled in Scalloway in 2003. The Society then turned its efforts to finding a new home for the Scalloway Museum which was established in 1985 and previously occupied a building on Main Street.
Scalloway Museum is open from May to September.
