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The past, present and future of energy production in Scotland, and its consequences for the environment, can be explored through objects ranging from the 1876 Boulton and Watt beam engine to contemporary renewables.
Communications objects tell rich Scottish stories, such as a piece of the first Transatlantic telephone cable that ran from Oban to Nova Scotia, which carried the ‘hot line’ between the White House and the Kremlin during the Cold War.
Vehicles on land, sea and air are represented in the transport collections, reflecting the development of transport from horse-drawn carriages to jet-powered supersonic aircraft, and from wooden boats to autonomous vehicles.
Our agricultural collections illustrate the mechanisation of arable and livestock farming in Scotland, from hand-tools to horse-drawn and motorised land-working machines and equipment such as threshing machines, ploughs, tractors and combine harvesters.
Objects from the Technology collections are on display in the Science & Technology galleries at the National Museum of Scotland, as well as at the National Museum of Rural Life and the National Museum of Flight.
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Specific responsibility: Aviation, Road, Rail and Maritime transport.
Research interest/expertise: Scottish maritime history, in particular shipbuilding, shipmaster societies and offshore industries.
Specific responsibility: Technology Collections.
Research interest/expertise: Social and environmental impact of industry and technology.
Specific responsibility: Curatorial support for Aviation collections.
Research interest/expertise: History of radar, Scottish military aviation.
Specific responsibility: Curatorial support for Communications collections.
Research interest/expertise: History of TV, radio and audio collections in relation to Scotland, Scottish inventors and innovators.
Specific responsibility: Curatorial support for technology collections.
Research interest/expertise: Materials collection.
Louise Innes is a Research Associate.
Project title: Bombers, Bunkers and Badges: Materialising the Cold War in Scotland
Project title: Imperial Flights and Encounters: recovering the experiences of People of Colour in Scottish wartime aviation, 1914-1945
