Pier House Museum facts for kids

The Pier House Museum is a fascinating museum located in Symbister, a village on the island of Whalsay in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. It's housed in an old building called the Pier House, which has a long and interesting history connected to trade.

A Look Back at the Pier House's History

The Pier House was once a very busy place, acting as a hub for trade. For many centuries, it was where people from Whalsay traded with German merchants.

Trading with the Hanseatic League

The Germans were part of a powerful group called the Hanseatic League. This was like a big club of trading cities in Northern Europe that controlled a lot of trade between the 13th and 17th centuries. They had a special agreement that helped them trade goods easily.

The German traders would bring important items like iron tools, seeds, salt, and cloth to Whalsay. In return, the islanders would trade their dried and salted fish. This was a very important way for the people of Shetland to get the things they needed and to sell their fish.

From Trading Post to Museum

The old Pier House was used by the Germans for trading until 1707. After many years, this historic building was carefully restored and turned into the museum you can visit today.

The museum now holds many old items, called artifacts, from that early trading period. These items help us understand what life was like and how the economy worked in Shetland a long time ago. It gives visitors a great look into the island's past.

The Building Itself

The Pier House is a unique building. It has two floors and a special type of roof called "crowstepped gables," which look like steps. There's also an old stone staircase on the outside of the building. Because of its historical importance, the house and the nearby port are officially recognized as a "Category B Listed Building." This means they are special old buildings protected by law because of their history and architecture.