Agriculture

This collection covers hand tools relating to local farming practices and larger farm machinery such as horse drawn ploughs, drill ploughs, harrows (timber and iron) and a threshing machine. The collection also comprises objects related to dairy work, including butter and cheese making equipment, milking stools, milk pails, early milking machine vessels and milk delivery cans. There are also items specifically relating to harvest activities, such as scythes, sickles, flails, riddles, potato grader, potato forks and baskets and turnip cutters.

Storage

This a collection of storage crocks, salt jars, pickling crocks, stone ware flagons, bottles, hot water bottles, pig feeders, many made in a now demolished local pottery. There is also a collection of tin boxes, wooden boxes, cardboard egg boxes, salt buckets and items of treen.

Local Industries

This collection covers the following industries: (1) Blacksmithing and farrier - blacksmiths tools, bellows, lead pots and photographs and record books relating to the objects; (2) Joinery - village joiner's work bench, many wooden planes and other tools and account records; (3) Textile - baskets, punched jacquard cards, designers patterns and samples of finished lace work from a demolished factory in the Irvine Valley; (4) Dressmaking - dummies from around 1910, Victorian patterns and 8 sewing machines from very early portables to treadle machines; (5) Printing - the contents of the print room of local newsagent and printer, Hugh Morton & Son, Dalry, which closed in 1989; (6) Grain milling - the entire machinery of Lindean Mill, Galashiels, including mill stones, a stone lifting machine, weighting machines, wooden kiln shove, cast iron kiln tiles and a quantity of printed sacks. There are also records relating to Dalgarven Mill and Drumcastle Mill, Dalry, and photographs dating back to the early 1900s.

Social History

This collection includes household items, in particular kitchen implements such as pots, pans, serving dishes and baking equipment, as well as laundry related items, such as goffering irons, a cast iron clothes boiler, hand and electric mangles and washboards. This collection also encompasses transport, including bicycles from pre-1930, various horse drawn vehicles and a 1959 Ferguson Tractor. There are also examples early lighting, from candle lanterns and oil lanterns to early electrolier.

There are several items relating to sports and pastimes, including Vicotrian dolls, toys and games, as well as musical instruments and gramaphones from the Victorian era and the early 20th century.

Finally, there is a collection of costume dating from 1860 to 1970, which is mostly women's and children's clothes, but also includes some men's uniforms and dress wear. There is also a number of costume accessories, jewellery, hats and shoes.

Furnishing and Furniture

This collection includes 18th century furniture, in particular a Scots bible chair with drawer and reading flap, a deal topped table and various kists. There is also a collection of 19th century pieces, including wardrobes, desks, chairs, dining and occasional tables, arm chairs and sofas, beds in brass, cast iron and wood, a kitchen dresser and various clocks.

Archives

The museum holds the day books, ledgers and Annual Accounts of Dalgarven Mill and the 1854 Annual Accounts of Drumastle Mill, Dalry. It also holds the pre-1900 records of Gemmell & Sons, Seed Merchants and the 1880s records of the Estate of Wray, which includes many of the farms who were customers of the Mill. There is also a pre-1900 Minute book from Dalgarven School, school exercise books from pre-1918 and various farm accounts. There is also a large number of books and pamphlets on matters agricultural and social.

Photographs

This collection includes hundreds of copied photographs from local farming families, several hundred 'carte-de visite' used to illustrate the costume collection and a collection of glass plate negatives.