Human History

This collection contains objects from all periods of Bute's history. The archaeological section includes artefacts from the Mesolithic through to the Medieval period, most of which have come from local excavations such as Glenvoidean Neolithic cairn, Inchmarnock Bronze Age cairn and Dunagoil Iron Age fort.

The more recent, social history section of the collection covers material from Rothesay's industrial past, illustrative of communications, military history, education, agriculture and local government.

Natural History

This collection covers Bute's geological and natural history. In particular Bute's ornithology, zoology and botany are represented. There is also a collection of bryophytes.

Library

The library collection consists of over 1500 books, including books concerned with the Island of Bute and its history. The collection also includes maps, ranging from a Timothy Pont's engraving of the "Isle of Boot" to a complete set of Ordnance Survey maps of the whole island, as well as a copy of John Wood's of Edinburgh "Town Atlas" containing an 1825 plan of Rothesay.

This collection also includes a number of glass negatives, photographs and other archival material.