Museum collections covering a wide range of topics including Renaissance engravings, Celtic art, rare moths and Burns manuscripts are all to benefit from a share of £500K of funding from Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS).
MGS has announced details of thirteen projects that have been given the green light to be supported by their Strategic Investment and Recognition Funds. Many of the projects focus on digitising collections to make them more accessible to the public and researchers.
A number of awards will also fund new posts and professional consultant services to create extra capacity to undertake conservation, volunteer management, marketing and audience development projects.
An award to Orkney Islands Council of £42,000 of Recognition Funding will allow them to progress vital collections management work by funding a two year Archaeology Collections Assistant post who will catalogue the collection and create improved digital resources to better facilitate research, improving access, understanding and care of their Recognised Collection of National Significance.
“Our archaeology collections are rich and varied, and attract a huge amount of interest from researchers and the public,” said Clare Gee, Orkney Island Council’s Arts, Museums and Heritage Service Manager. “With important excavations going on throughout Orkney, which will increase and enrich the collection in to the future, it is becoming more important all the time that our archaeology collection be easily accessible for visitors and researchers.”
“We are pleased to fund these museum projects and to support the vital work of the museum as well as helping them to further ambitions to increase their long term sustainability,” said Joanne Orr, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland. “All of the projects will enable the museums to improve their accessibility and visitor experience so a lot of people will benefit from the work.”
