Built in 1745, Garrison House was once the residence of the captain and officers charged with pursuing smugglers ferrying contraband up the River Clyde. Fully restored by the community in 2001, today Garrison House is home to the Museum of the Cumbraes. Step inside its gothic battlements and explore the islands’ colourful history – see stone coffins, or ‘cists’, first laid down more than 4,000 years ago; hear daring tales of 18th century smugglers; and find out more about the lives of the fishermen, lighthouse keepers, sailors, tourists, and scientists who have shaped life on the islands today.