Museum Collections Centre

Ever glimpse behind a museum’s velvet ropes and wonder what treasures lie hidden? At the Museum Collections Centre in Edinburgh, those hidden wonders take center stage. The Museum Collections Centre, located at 10 Broughton Market, isn’t your typical museum. It’s a vast storehouse, a treasure trove brimming with over 200,000 objects, representing Edinburgh’s rich and diverse history and culture. This is where the bulk of the city’s reserve collections reside, spanning social history, childhood memorabilia, archaeology, and decorative arts. Think of it as the beating heart of “Auld Reekie Retold,” the most ambitious collections project ever undertaken by Museums & Galleries Edinburgh. The curatorial team here isn’t just dusting artifacts. They are meticulously cataloging, photographing, and researching each piece, breathing life back into Edinburgh’s stories. The Museum Collections Centre houses objects currently not on display in other city museums. It’s a dynamic space where items are accessed for research, loaned for exhibitions, and carefully preserved for future generations. Here, you might stumble upon anything from antique dolls’ houses to wartime cooking utensils, 18th-century water pipes to quirky teapots. You might even find yourself face-to-face with pantomime costumes or a collection of 2000 Queen Victoria clay pipes. The Museum Collections Centre offers a unique opportunity to peek behind the curtain of museum displays and witness the inner workings of preservation and research. While access is typically by appointment or scheduled tours, a virtual visit offers a glimpse into this fascinating world of stored treasures. So, next time you’re in Edinburgh, remember the Museum Collections Centre. It’s more than just storage; it’s where Edinburgh’s stories are kept safe, waiting to be rediscovered.