To a mouse with a click of your mouse!

< Back to news listing

“To a Mouse” is one of Burns most loved poems. However, 225 years after it was penned, little did the bard know that he would have fans across the world who would use a completely different kind of mouse to find out about hundreds of his own manuscripts, books and personal belongings now in a museum!

The National Trust for Scotland has been awarded £40,000 of Recognition funding from Museums Galleries Scotland to create online resources that will open access to the most significant collection of Burns artefacts in the world.

The project is just one of six to be awarded Recognition funding from Museums Galleries Scotland. Collectively just under £240,000 has been awarded to the Recognised Collections of Aberdeen City Council, the Township of Auchindrain, Perth and Kinross Council, the University of St Andrews, the Scottish Mining Museum and the National Trust for Scotland.

Managed by Museums Galleries Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Recognition Scheme ensures important collections are identified, cared for, protected and promoted to wider audiences.

Joanne Orr, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland, said:
“We are already seeing the beneficial impact that Recognition funding is having on improving the visitor experience to Scotland’s most important museum and gallery collections. The Recognised Collections are located right throughout the country and they celebrate what is unique about Scotland. This funding creates opportunities to explore, interpret and enjoy them in new ways.”

David Hopes, Project Curator of the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, said:
“This is a hugely significant and timely boost to the new museum. The award will allow us to explore new ways of bringing people close to the collection, and closer to Burns.”

In January 2010, the Scottish Government announced £750,000 of capital funding for the Recognised Collections. Museums Galleries Scotland and the Scottish Government will announce these awards in spring 2010.

ENDS

NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS

The six projects to receive Recognition Funding in this round:

Perth and Kinross Council – awarded £40,000
Not all artefacts within our museums are on display to the public at any one time. The technicalities of object storage would rarely trouble visitors but it is something which is naturally of great importance to our museums. Perth and Kinross Council will use their funding to increase the effectiveness of the storage system for their Recognised Collection – from heavy archaeological & building stones to delicate natural history specimens.

Aberdeen City Council – awarded £39,992
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the opening of Aberdeen Art Gallery. Celebratory events are planned including a temporary exhibition to showcase their Recognised Collections. The funding will allow the acquisition of new display cases to give visitors a better view of the fabulous objects on display.

Scottish Mining Museum Trust – awarded £39,975
The buildings of the Lady Victoria Colliery are an integral part of the Scottish Mining Museum. This project will improve accessibility to the site with external and internal signage. This will augment the information, orientation and navigation around the colliery and its collection to provide a better visitor experience overall.

University of St Andrews – awarded £40,000
The University’s Museum Collections Unit is currently developing an Open Access store for their Recognised Collections. Their funding will subsidize a one-year Project Officer post to manage operations in the store and assist with the learning & access programme.

National Trust for Scotland – awarded £40,000
Keeping their Recognised Collection as its focus and inspiration, the National Trust for Scotland will create stimulating and fun new resources designed with the user firmly in mind. At the project’s core will be establishing a collections database which will open up parts the collection for new audiences to explore.

Auchindrain Trust – awarded £39,830
Conservation is important for all museums but especially important when you have a Recognised Collection of National Significance! This project will fund the augmentation of resources for the conservation management of The Township of Auchindrain.

Information on Museums Galleries Scotland and the Recognition Scheme
• Museums Galleries Scotland represents, through membership, 350 museums and galleries across Scotland.
• Museums Galleries Scotland represent the sector which welcomes 25 million visitors and provides £800 million in value to the Scottish economy.
• Museums Galleries Scotland manages the Recognition Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government. The Scheme aims to identify, and subsequently support, collections of national significance held in Scotland’s museums and galleries.
• To date, 36 collections have been Recognised as being of national significance to Scotland.
• Recognition funding is awarded to projects that increase access to Recognised collections. To receive funding projects are required to aim for excellence by either undertaking an innovative or cutting edge project, achieving or embedding best practice or improving the long-term sustainability of the Recognised Collection through the project.
•

Press enquries should be directed to Communications Manager

Follow links for information on the Recognised Collections and the Recognition Scheme

Published
4th Mar 2010

Region
National

Publisher
MGS