Why Go Industrial’s collections are important

What's the first thing you think about when someone says "museum"? Polite answers only, please!

Is it: family fun? A place to learn? Nice cafe? Something to do on my holidays? 

Or is it: boring?! Old and dusty? Where my parents dragged me on holidays?

Well, for me it is: objects. Artefacts. Books and papers. Costume, machinery and paintings. Objects are at the heart of every museum; caring for those objects is the reason museums exist. Don't get me wrong, I go to museums for fun - whether that be to spend a quiet hour admiring paintings by myself, or to go with the family for a messy craft session. But if it weren't for the objects, and the stories they tell, it'd be a different visit entirely. 

One of the brilliant things about all Go Industrial's amazing museums is that they have special collections. And not just because we say they are either! The collections are Recognised as being of National Significance by the Scottish Government*. And that's a pretty big deal. Here's why...

• Recognised collections are held out with the National museums and galleries in Scotland. 
• They are held by independent, local authority and university museums. 
• There are more than 40 Recognised collections, spanning the country, from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway. 
• The collections are vast and varied, from libraries to buildings to machines to costume. 
• These Recognised collections reflect centuries of effort to preserve and interpret our past. 

It is the privilege of Go Industrial’s members to hold truly excellent Recognised collections. Through these collections, our museums reflect centuries of Scotland’s industrial past and to illustrate the inter-dependent history of Scotland’s industrial heritage.

 

 

 

 

 

*Except New Lanark, which is a World Heritage Site. Full details of the Recognition Scheme, run by Museums Galleries Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, can be found on their website.