About us

The Wick Society was formed in 1971 in response to the number of old buildings being demolished in the town at that time and the perceived loss of local heritage.

The Wick Society was originally formed as a pressure group to try to preserve the heritage of the town and its environs for future generations.  The Society was, and still is, run entirely by volunteers and continues to try to preserve our heritage.

Since 1971 The Wick Society has grown into four distinct sections, Wick Heritage Museum, The Johnston Collection Team, The Boat Team and Wick Voices.  The Wick Society is also the custodian of The Herring Mart and The Lifeboat Shed.  The Wick Society is a registered charity and receives no public funding.  Our work is funded entirely by fundraising, donations, grants where appropriate, admission charges to the museum together with the generous and very much appreciated support of local businesses and people. 

The Johnston Collection is a collection of photographs taken from 1863 until approximately 1975 by three generations of the Johnston family.  Over the years the Team has digitised over 40,000 glass plate negatives and preserved this much acclaimed record of our heritage. View the photographs at www.johnstoncollection.net

The Boat Team care for a number of historic boats, principally The Isabella Fortuna and The Diligent.  The Isabella Fortuna is a Fifie, built in Arbroath in 1890 and acquired by The Wick Society in 1997.  During the winter months she stays safe from winter storms in The Old Lifeboat Shed.  In the summer she is berthed in the harbour and sails around Wick Bay and further afield.  The Diligent is a Stroma Yawl and can also be seen in the harbour during the summer.

Wick Voices, The Wick Society Oral History Team was formed in 2016 aiming to preserve oral history of the area by recording and sharing the experiences of the people who live here.  There are currently over 500 different recordings to enjoy on The Wick Voices website.

Wick Heritage Museum opened in 1981 and tells the story of Wick, Pulteneytown and The Herring Fishing. There is a wealth of exhibits and stories to enjoy on your visit. The museum has developed positive links with local schools, organisations and individuals.