The Eday Heritage & Visitor Centre is a fantastic facility in the island, it first opened in 2008 in a renovated Baptist kirk. It's an impressive building that holds an important collection of artefacts and archive material.
NILPS funding enabled the volunteer heritage centre committee to work with interpretation and design specialists to create a series of new displays, and breath new life into the building. An agreed interpretation plan helped guide the process by looking at the various aspects of Eday's heritage and history along with the artefacts, document and photographs in the collection. Work included repairs to windows, some painting and decorating, research, design and copywriting for new displays and some changes to layout to improve the overall visitor experience.
The centre officially re-opened in late spring 2024. NILPS funding also supported a temporary, part time heritage centre coordinator to help build on the work undertaken and to try and encourage more people to use the centre and get invovled in heritage.
The project also funded development of the area around the Heritage Centre to make an accessible outdoor space. The area was landscaped to create an undulating topography with paths and seating. Additional trees were planted to provide more shelter and the area is now managed to promote the growth of native wildflowers.
New interpretation panels were installed telling the story of Pirate Gow, Eday's geology and wildlife and the Island's industrial heritage.
