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Explore our collections, find out about our current research projects and opportunities, contact our curatorial staff, and discover how to access the collections for research.

Search our collections

Our online database contains a selection of the 12 million objects and specimens in our collections.

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  • A group of objects made of silver, stone, and coloured stones, all sitting on a black background

    Research

    Research is crucial to our stewardship of the national collections and to the intellectual development of subject knowledge.
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  • Close up of many interlocking silver cogs inside a machine.

    Departments

    Our staff hold a wealth of knowledge and expertise across the diversity of our collections.
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  • Facilities

    We provide advice, assistance, and support to those wishing to research the national collections.
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  • A close up of two wooden skis with made in scotland etched into the surface

    How we collect

    Contemporary collecting has been core to the development of the National Collections over the last two centuries.
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  • National Museums Collection Centre

    We offer a range of research facilities at our Collection Centre in Granton.
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Colonial histories and legacies in our museums

We are committed to revealing and sharing the full range of stories about imperial and colonial activities associated with our collections. 

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