• Jump to main content
  • Home page
  • What's on
  • Site map
  • Search
  • About us
  • Freedom of Information
  • Complaints procedure
  • Privacy policy
  • Contact us
  • Access key details

National Museums Scotland

  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Venue hire
  • Home
Search
  • Our museums
  • What's on
  • Highlights
  • Kids
  • Learning
  • Collections & research
  • Making connections
  • Support us
  • Shop
  • Collections departments
    • Art and Design
    • Natural Sciences
    • Science and Technology
    • Scottish History & Archaeology
    • World Cultures
    • Collections Services
  • Search our collections
  • Museum libraries
  • Image library
  • Scottish Life Archive
  • Loans from our collection
  • New acquisitions
  • Our research
  • Research repository
  • Early Historic Scotland
  • Heddle collection
  • Colouring the Nation
  • Policies
Statue conservation

Collections Services

This Collections Services department cares for our collections.

Wendy Turner: Head of Collections Services

Specific responsibility: Overall responsibility for the department and general policy on collections management and conservation.

Collections Development

This section manages the policies, procedures and standards relating to Collections Development. This involves documentation, acquisitions, disposals and information storage issues. The section also manages strategic projects to standardise information within the National Museums Scotland Collections Information System (AdLib).

  • Pam Babes: Collections Development Manager
  • Jo Macrae: Acquisitions Officer
  • Stuart Brown: Documentation Officer
  • Stuart Johnston: Collections Management Assistant

Collections Information System

Responsible for the Collections Information System (AdLib) and digital programmes that support collections management functions.

  • Angus Kneale: Collections System Manager

Collections Care

This section manages the policies, procedures and standards relating to Collections Care. Specifically this involves the section in managing storage, object movement and handling, preventive conservation, environment and security for the collections. It also develops strategic planning and resources for collections care in liaison with curatorial departments, conservation and facilities management.

  • Collections Care Manager
  • Katie Haworth: Preventative Conservator
  • Katherine Mercer: Collections Management Assistant
  • Sarah Brown: Collections Management Assistant

Loans

This section facilitates both incoming and outgoing loans requests for exhibitions and displays. The loans section co-ordinates National Museums Scotland resources and is responsible for the practical arrangements from the security and venue facility assessments, to packing, transport and arranging insurance or Government Indemnity. This ensures that we maintain accountability for our collections whilst outside the museum and for objects on loan to National Museums Scotland.

  • Lyn Wall: Loans Manager
  • Michelle Forster Davies: Loans Manager
  • Yvonne Brownlee: Loans Officer
  • Lucy Clarke: Loan Officer

Photography

This section provides a photographic service to all departments. This includes object photography for record, conservation and publication purposes. The Section also undertakes specific imaging projects in house and in partnership, and is involved in digitisation projects.

  • Neil McLean: Lead Photographer
  • Joyce Smith: Photographer

National Fund for Acquisitions

This section manages and administers the National Fund for Acquisitions on behalf of the Scottish Executive. The Fund is available to assist registered/ accredited museums in Scotland to make acquisitions for their collections. Hazel advises on all aspects of the grant application process, in consultation with expert advisers from within NMS, the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland.

  • Hazel Williamson, NFA Manager

Paper and Textile Conservation

The textile collections include costume, tapestry, flags and banners as well as smaller objects like samplers, embroidery and accessories. The paper collections feature works of art, archives, photographs and social history documents including materials as diverse as papyrus and mica.

  • Lynn McClean ACR: Head of Section and Textile Conservator
  • Irene Kirkwood: Textile Conservator
  • Harriet Woolmore: Assistant Textile Conservator (maternity cover)
  • Victoria Hanley: Paper Conservator
  • Lisa Cumming ACR: Paper Conservator

Artefact Conservation

This section covers remedial and preventive conservation on archaeological (including wet / waterlogged objects from land and marine sites and objects coming through the Treasure Trove system), historical and ethnographic objects as well as objects of a fairly recent age.

  • Dr Ticca Ogilvie, ACR: Head of Artefacts Conservation
  • Charles Stable, ACR: Artefacts Conservator
  • Diana de Bellaigue: Artefacts Conservator
  • Jane Clark, ACR: Artefacts Conservator
  • Jill Plitnikas, ACR: Artefacts Conservator
  • Verena Kotonski: Assistant Artefacts Conservator

Engineering and Furniture Conservation

The Engineering section works on a wide range of objects, including transport collections and aircraft. They are also responsible for the installation, maintenance and repair of working models, engines and clocks on exhibition and for working and engineering artefacts at all sites. The Furniture Conservator is responsible for the treatment and care of fine furniture and wooden artefacts throughout the collections.

  • Stuart McDonald: Head of Section
  • Thilo Burgel: Aircraft Conservator
  • Mike Loftus: Assistant Aircraft Conservator
  • Alex Walton: Assistant Technology Conservator
  • Darren Cox: Assistant Technology Conservator

Analytical Research

The Analytical Research section examines archaeological and historical objects by scientific methods to gain information about their condition, technology, history and use. Inorganic and organic materials are analysed by non-destructive and micro-analytical techniques in-house, with metals, ceramics, plastics and natural dyes being specialities.

  • Lore Troalen: Analytical Scientist

Clare McIntyre: Department Administrator

Can be contacted on 0131 247 4073 or c.mcintyre@nms.ac.uk

Share this page

  • Facebook Icon Facebook
  • Del.iciou.us Icon Delicious
  • StumbleUpon Icon Stumble Upon
  • Twitter Icon Twitter

What are these links?

Motorbikes at the National Museums Collection Centre

Motorbikes at the National Museums Collection Centre

Related pages

  • Loans from our collection
  • National Fund for Acquisitions
  • National Museums Collection Centre

The Feast Bowl

  • Collections Management blog posts

Connect with us

  • Follow us on Twitter Twitter
  • Join our Flickr projects Flickr
  • Read about our Museums Blog
  • Find out more on Facebook Facebook

Keep in touch

Sign up for our regular e-newsletter for all the latest news and events.

Sign up

  • Contact us
  • Site map
  • Privacy policy
  • Press office
  • Current vacancies

Shop online

National Museums Scotland, Scottish Charity, No. SC 011130