The Museum of Islay Life is delighted to launch a crowdfunding campaign that aims to secure the rich history and cultural heritage of our island. The Museum has been a treasure trove of knowledge, showcasing the island's past for many years. Now, however, we need your support to extend the current storage facilities to allow us to preserve even more of Islay's fascinating history for decades to come.

About the Project:

The Museum of Islay Life has been a custodian of our island's heritage since it first opened its doors to the public in 1977. However, with a collection now numbering nearly 19,000 items, our storage facilities have reached their limits. To continue to accept and store the many donations we receive each year, we must expand. There is no alternative. This campaign seeks to fund the construction of a dedicated 25 sq m storage extension which will more than double our current capacity and safeguard our ever-growing collection. With your help, we can:

1. Preserve Fragile Artefacts: expand our storage capacity to protect delicate and valuable artefacts, from ancient Mesolithic tools to traditional textiles.

2. Enhance Accessibility: make more of our collection accessible for research, educational programs, and exhibitions to promote Islay's rich history.

3. Digitisation and Documentation: invest in advanced digitisation and documentation processes to catalogue and preserve items for future generations.

4. Community Engagement: develop interactive exhibits within the storage extension to engage visitors with the behind-the-scenes work of preserving Islay's heritage.

Why Your Support Matters:

Preservation: your contribution will help us protect Islay's historical treasures, ensuring they remain intact for future generations.

Education: the expanded storage and improved accessibility will enable us to offer more educational programs and workshops.

Cultural Enrichment: by investing in this project, you contribute to the cultural enrichment of Islay, preserving our unique island identity.

Funding Goals:

We have achieved much with our funding campaign so far. With a total costing of £35,000 we have already raised £25,000. There remains:

Construction of Storage Extension: £8,000

Displaying and Cataloging Equipment: £2,000

Rewards for Supporters:

We want to show our appreciation for your support. As a thank you, we're offering some exciting rewards:

Exclusive Museum Access: enjoy private tours of the expanded storage facility and see firsthand how your support is preserving Islay's history.

Name on the Wall of Patrons: your name, or the name of a loved one, will be proudly displayed in the storage extension as a permanent reminder of your contribution.

Join Us in Preserving Islay's Legacy: your contribution, no matter the amount, will make a significant difference in ensuring the Museum of Islay Life continues to thrive. By expanding our storage facilities we can protect and share even more of our island's remarkable history with the many thousands of people who visit us each year.

Don't miss the chance to be part of preserving Islay's legacy and cultural heritage. Together, we can ensure that the island’s history remains a source of pride, education, and inspiration for generations to come. Join us in making history today.