John Rae in focus at Stromness Museum

This year marks the 200th birthday of the Arctic explorer Dr John Rae, which the Stromness Museum is celebrating with a major exhibition, in partnership with National Museums Scotland and Edinburgh University.

John Rae: The Explorer and Collector highlights the story of Rae’s Arctic journeys and his relationship with the indigenous people of Canada.

It is told, to a greater extent, with Rae’s own words, from papers given to the Royal Geographic Society and from his unpublished autobiography.

Complementing Rae’s text is a selection of rare and beautiful artefacts collected by the Orcadian explorer and gifted by him to the University of Edinburgh after his death.

They are now looked after by the National Museums Scotland, who have lent them to the Stromness Museum for their summer exhibition.

John Rae: The Explorer and Collector is on display at Stromness Museum until November 2. The museum is open daily, from 10am until 5pm (from April to September) and Monday to Saturday 11am to 3.30pm in October.