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Scapa flow1/2/2024 The geopolitical context of naval decisions is clearly laid out in crisp, informative display boards. These alliances lasted for half a century and more. Britain looked to the Middle East, initially to Persia (Iran) and then to Mesopotamia (Iraq) and the Gulf, to establish alliances that would guarantee access to oil supplies. But when Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty took the momentous decision to change to more efficient and powerful oil-fired turbine engines, there followed a major shift in foreign policy. For half a century, the Royal Navy had been powered by Welsh coal, and Britain had its own almost limitless supplies. The transition from coal to oil in the pre-Great War navy had enormous consequences. Scapa Flow is a favourite spot for divers who want to explore the many warships littering the seabed, although some wrecks, as war graves, are off limits. The scale of the heavy machinery needed for such an operation is awe-inspiring.Įarly diving equipment on display. You’ll then walk through the old pump house, where oil was pumped from giant storage silos to waiting ships. This gave the navy quick access both to the Atlantic and to cut off the North Sea in the event of the German High Seas Fleet trying to break out of its Baltic base. But in the Edwardian era, after discussion within the Admiralty as to the best place to locate the Grand Fleet in the event of war with Germany, Admiral John Fisher opted to go for Scapa Flow. And the site was first used by the navy in the Napoleonic Wars. The Vikings anchored their longships in Scapa Flow a thousand years ago. These were opened only when Royal Navy vessels needed to enter or leave the Great Harbour.Ī large display looks back over several centuries of Orkney’s links with the sea. Specific to Scapa Flow are samples of the giant steel nets that were used as boom defences in an attempt to prevent enemy submarines from getting into the vicinity. A visit begins with a display of items relating in general to life at sea. The museum itself is located in a new building next to the fleets’ former pumphouse. Orkney’s links with the sea date back a thousand years, when the Vikings anchored their longships on the islands. If you wish to make a donation, please use the 'Donate Now' button below.Inside the refurbished museum. Address - Scapa Flow Museum, Lyness, Hoy, Orkney, KW16 3NT.For timetables, visit We look forward to welcoming you to Scapa Flow Museum. Hoy is a short ferry ride from Houton on the Orkney mainland. The Museum is a minute’s walk from the Lyness ferry terminal on the scenic island of Hoy, one of Orkney’s most popular tourist destinations. There is a cafe on site open during Museum opening times, as listed below, serving hot and cold drinks, homebakes, hot filled rolls, soup and snacks.ĭogs are not permitted to enter the Museum unless they are assistance dogs. 2 which can be found in the 'Related Downloads' section of this page. A guide to Hoy and Walls Wartime Heritage is available in the Orkney Wartime Leaflet No. Leaflets for a self-guided trail around the wartime remains at Lyness are available from tourist information offices and the Lyness Ferry Waiting Room. There is a comprehensive exhibition about the wartime history of Scapa Flow available online – please see the ‘Related Links’ section below. For further information the Scottish Government website) The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Regional Development Fund and the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. NatureScot is also managing another element of the programme – the Green Infrastructure Fund. (The Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund is part of the Scottish Government’s European Regional Development Fund programme, which finishes in 2023. We are proud to be finalists for the 2023 Art Fund Museum Of The Year prize.Ī £4.4m major redevelopment, completed in July 2022, was funded by Orkney Islands Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, the Orkney LEADER 2014-2020 programme, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Museums Galleries Scotland, and the Scottish Government’s European Regional Development Fund programme, managed by NatureScot through the Natural & Cultural Heritage Fund. It is run by Orkney Islands Council - please take a look at all our Museums on our new Orkney Museums website. Scapa Flow Museum’s role is to chart Orkney’s military involvement in the First and Second World Wars and provide a safe home for a major collection of wartime artefacts, many of national and international importance.
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