The Kelp Store
Papa Westray
Orkney
KW17 2BU
The Kelp Store is the arts and heritage centre for Papa Westray, a home for cultural events and the archives of this magical island.
The Kelp Store is owned and managed by the Papay Development Trust, it provides a home for cultural events, the Papay archive and a facility for community use. The centre is a fantastic and sensitive restoration of a storage facility for kelp dating back to the mid 1600's. Opened in June 2016 the centre hosts annual events such as the ØY Festival of Islands, cinema nights, weekly Papay choir practice and Papay band practice.
There are displays and interpretation of the natural, cultural and archaeological history of the island, from the Great Auk to shipwrecks and farming, with lots of reference books and census information - perfect for researching family history, ancestry and genealogy - as well as archaeological reports and visuals. With permanent exhibits such as the Papay on Film series of short films, directed by Stromness based Mark Jenkins, and an evergrowing collection of art from Orkney based creatives.
The centre is open every day of the year, and is also available for hire for events and retreats, a great place to immerse yourself in the history of the island, take part in one of the many cultural events, or just to take shelter and admire the views of South Wick shoreline and the local population of Selkies.