LISMORE HERITAGE MUSEUM (IONAD NAOMH MOLUAG, LOIS MÒR)

This little heritage museum on the historic Isle of Lismore (God’s garden) has rapidly become the community focus for the island.

Located at Port a Carron on land donated by a member of the Comann Eachdraidh, it comprises a traditionally built thatched croft house, Tigh Iseabal, (built 2001) and a timber clad, grass-roofed heritage museum. Within their first year of opening each won top tourism awards.

To respect the open landscape in which the museum is located, it is set into the sloping site. The low-pitched grass roof, already awash with local flora, blends with the surrounding moorland. Constructed of a 200 mm timber frame, built on site, and a glulam beam and rafter roof, helped minimise the logistical difficulties of building on an island with a small pier and narrow single track roads. Sustainable larch cladding will fade to silver, while the blue-framed windows give views out over the Appin hills and beyond. The insulation is sheep’s wool and a ground source heat pump provides heating and hot water. A biodisc sewage treatment plant and pumped spring water system were used as no mains services are available. Simple hardwearing natural materials were used inside and out. Deep eaves on all sides and the glass and stone terrace give sheltered places for cyclists and walkers to sit outside.

The high quality of the exhibitions, the research room, the library - both lending and research - and the café, the first place on the island to provide food to the public – ensures that locals and visitors alike are drawn to and are proud of this new facility.