Social History

This collection relates to the history of the Wigtownshire area. It includes architectural details from local buildings, examples of traditional crafts, including tiling, clogging, saddlery, timber conversion, woodworking and basket making. Also represented are textile equipment, hornware, all aspects of agricultural work as reflected in hand tools and smaller items of machinery; domestic items, mainly pre 1900 particularly laundry items, glass and stoneware, all of local origins. There are also examples of items associated with trapping, fishing and poaching, small relics of local manufacturing industries, mining and quarrying, heating and lighting, forgery, scientific instruments notably gramophones, cameras and astronomical instruments, including a Camera Obscura. Transport is represented by small relics of shipping, road and rail travel including significant examples of early bicycles. There is a collection of small items representing all the trades and professions once practiced locally, notably those of doctors, dentists and medical surgeons, tailors and dressmakers. Other topics include a small collection of artefacts relating to local 17th century witchcraft and items on crime and punishment, religion and military history. Recreation, in particular curling is also represented.

Natural History

This collection consists of mounted animals, birds, birds' eggs, fish, butterflies, moths and herbarium specimens from the Wigtownshire area.