About
Kirbuster Farm Museum, in the parish of Birsay on the west mainland of Orkney, preserves the last un-restored example of a traditional Orkney 'firehoose' farmhouse in Northern Europe — a genuinely rare architectural survival that offers visitors a direct, unmediated view of traditional island farming life largely unchanged from earlier centuries. The farmhouse structure dates back in parts to as early as 1595, and remained continuously occupied in its traditional form right up until the 1960s, an unusually late survival for this kind of vernacular building style, which in most other places had been substantially modernised or abandoned well before that date.
The farmhouse's defining feature is its central hearth or 'firehoose', an open fire set in the middle of the main room without a chimney, with smoke finding its way out through the thatched roof — a genuinely ancient form of domestic heating and cooking arrangement that would have been familiar to farming communities across Northern Europe for many centuries, but which had almost entirely disappeared elsewhere by the time this building fell out of everyday use. Surrounding outbuildings illustrate the working agricultural life connected to the farmhouse, giving visitors a fuller sense of the practical daily operations of a traditional Orkney farm rather than a single isolated domestic building.
Kirbuster's genuine, un-restored condition — as opposed to the reconstructed or heavily renovated presentation found at many other historic farm sites — is central to its significance and appeal, offering a rare opportunity to see traditional Orkney rural architecture and domestic arrangements essentially as they actually were, rather than as a modern interpretation of how they might have looked. Run by Orkney Islands Council as one of several museums across the islands, Kirbuster provides a genuinely distinctive complement to Orkney's better-known prehistoric and Norse heritage sites, focused instead on the more recent, but equally significant, story of traditional island farming life.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
💡 Visitor Tips
- The museum is open March-October only, with a midday closure (1pm-2pm) Monday-Saturday — plan your visit timing accordingly.
- Entry is free and no booking is necessary, but a £5 suggested donation genuinely helps support the museum.
- Take time to appreciate the central hearth and un-restored condition of the farmhouse — this genuine authenticity is the site's defining feature.
- Combine your visit with the nearby Brough of Birsay and Earl's Palace for a fuller day exploring west mainland Orkney's heritage.
- The grounds feature uneven terrain, so wear appropriate footwear.
- There is no on-site café — bring supplies or plan to eat in Kirkwall or Birsay village.
- Families with children should look out for the Trowie Trail in the museum grounds.
Highlights
The Central 'Firehoose' Hearth
The farmhouse's defining feature is its central hearth or 'firehoose', an open fire set in the middle of the main room without a chimney, with smoke finding its way out through the thatched roof above. This genuinely ancient domestic heating and cooking arrangement would have been familiar to farming communities across Northern Europe for many centuries, but had almost entirely disappeared elsewhere by the time this building fell out of everyday use in the 1960s, making Kirbuster's surviving example a remarkable and rare piece of vernacular architectural history.
The Un-Restored Farmhouse Structure
Kirbuster's farmhouse, with parts dating back to as early as 1595, survives in genuinely un-restored condition, offering visitors a rare opportunity to see traditional Orkney rural architecture essentially as it actually was, rather than as a modern reconstruction or heavy renovation. This authenticity is central to the site's significance, distinguishing it from many other historic farm museums where buildings have been substantially rebuilt or reinterpreted for visitor presentation.
Occupation Until the 1960s
Remarkably, Kirbuster's traditional farmhouse form remained continuously occupied right up until the 1960s, an unusually late survival for this kind of vernacular building style, which in most other places had been substantially modernised or abandoned well before that date. This late continuous occupation means the building's traditional features survived into living memory, adding a genuine sense of historical proximity rather than distant antiquity to a visit, with some older Orkney residents today able to recall visiting occupied 'firehoose' farmhouses similar to this one.
Agricultural Outbuildings
Surrounding outbuildings illustrate the working agricultural life connected to the farmhouse, giving visitors a fuller sense of the practical daily operations of a traditional Orkney farm rather than a single isolated domestic building. These structures and their contents help situate the farmhouse within its wider working context, showing how domestic and agricultural life were closely intertwined on a traditional Orkney farm, with livestock, storage and living quarters often standing only metres apart.
Collections
Kirbuster Farm Museum's core 'collection' is the un-restored traditional Orkney farmhouse itself, with parts dating to as early as 1595 and continuously occupied in its traditional form until the 1960s — the last surviving example of this 'firehoose' architectural type in Northern Europe. The central open hearth, set without a chimney in the middle of the main room, is the building's defining feature, surrounded by traditional furnishings and domestic items illustrating rural Orkney life across several centuries.
Surrounding agricultural outbuildings illustrate the working farm context connected to the farmhouse, while the wider grounds include gardens and the family-friendly Trowie Trail.
Run by Orkney Islands Council, the museum offers a genuinely rare, largely unmediated view of traditional island farming life.
The Firehoose Farmhouse
The core exhibit: Kirbuster's un-restored traditional farmhouse, including its central open hearth, dating in parts to as early as 1595 and occupied until the 1960s.
Traditional Orkney Rural Life
Displays of furnishings, tools and domestic items illustrating traditional farming and domestic life on Orkney across several centuries.
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.