£684k Boost for Scotland’s Museums to Strengthen Community Ties

We have awarded £684,108 to 12 museums across the country through the latest round of the Museum Development Fund.

The funded projects will support museums to strengthen relationships with their local communities, improve collections care, and enhance interpretation and storytelling at their venues.

Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan said:

“Museums are treasured spaces where communities come together to explore history and foster belonging. From shining a light on untold histories to caring for important collections, these projects demonstrate the vital role museums play in strengthening connection across Scotland.

“I’m delighted the Scottish Government is able to support such a wide range of institutions, from Dundee to Shetland, in this important work, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have on communities in the months ahead.”

Lucy Casot, CEO of MGS said:

“We are delighted to support these projects which demonstrate the important role of museums as civic spaces for learning, community engagement, and belonging – and as trusted custodians of our cultural heritage. From sharing untold stories and empowering communities to shape decisions, to improving collections care and enhancing visitor experiences, these projects will help ensure our museums remain relevant, responsible, and closely connected with the people they serve.”

The awarded organisations include Leisure and Culture Dundee, which has received £60,000 for its project, Generation Timex – Exploring the legacies of Timex in Dundee. Timex was once a large employer in the city and changed the social and industrial landscape of Dundee, however it is now remembered primarily for the industrial strikes which resulted in its closure in 1993. Using the museum’s Timex collection, The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum will explore this history by working with former Timex employees and partners across the city to create a collaborative exhibition.

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has been awarded £59,247 to review its human remains collection held at Surgeons’ Hall Museum. The museum holds a significant medical human remains collection, with histories extending across the world. This project will appoint a Provenance Researcher to systematically review the collection, improve catalogue records, connect paper and archival evidence, and review culturally sensitive items. The process will also involve community engagement and identifying opportunities for repatriation. The project aims to develop a fuller and more responsible understanding of the people and histories represented in the collection and move beyond inherited medical and collector focused narratives. Another result of the project will be a practical framework for researching the provenance of medical human remains that can support other organisations in Scotland and beyond with their collections.

University of Glasgow will use its £52,200 grant to establish a Community Participatory Panel at The Hunterian. The project aims to embed community involvement into museum decision-making, programming, and strategic development. The panel will be made up of diverse voices, representing local communities, students, underrepresented groups, existing museum participants, and community partners.

Zandra Yeaman, Head of Strategy, Development and Implementation at The Hunterian said:

“The Hunterian is committed to being an ethical and accessible institution, and that starts with putting community voices at the centre of our decision-making.

“Shared Campus, Shared Museum will create opportunities for our diverse student and wider Glasgow communities to have a meaningful voice in how their University Museum develops.

“At the heart of the project will be a community panel, bringing lived experience, ideas and challenge into our decision-making and helping shape the future of The Hunterian.”

Other fund recipients: 

• Almond Valley Heritage Trust – £40,000

The project will revitalise reception and welcome spaces, creating a contemporary, accessible environment while addressing outdated facilities that currently limit engagement and visitor experience.

• Glasgow Life (People’s Palace) – £60,000

People’s Palace Digital Interpretative Films project will support the production of a series of in-gallery films and digital storytelling approaches. Working with communities across Glasgow, the project will explore how film, oral history and digital interpretation can be used to tell the story of the city in ways that are inclusive, accessible and emotionally engaging.

• Helmsdale Heritage Society (Timespan) – £59,950

Timespan will work with architects on an experimental redesign of its museum display. The redesign will open up the collection, update interpretation, improve access, and test future museum approaches.

• Heriot Watt University – £60,000

This grant will support Heriot Watt’s Edinburgh Campus in preparing to store the textile collection currently held at the Galashiels campus. New shelving will be installed at the Edinburgh site to ensure the collection is stored correctly.

• Robert Burns Ellisland – £60,000

Robert Burns Ellisland will create an immersive storytelling experience which will allow visitors to see Ellisland through the poet’s eyes, including glimpses of his domestic life with Jean Armour and their young family.

• Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh – £57,364

Physicians Gallery will employ an additional member of staff to complete and update their object catalogue.

• The Royal Scots Regimental Museum – £55,945

The museum will employ an additional member of staff for an inventory and rationalisation project.

• Shetland Museum – £60,000

Shetland Museum will employ a fixed-term Collections Assistant to help prepare for the relocation of Shetland Museum’s collections to a new storage facility.

• University of Aberdeen – £59,402

The University will work with audience strategists for a research project to better understand visitor motivation and barriers to access. They will also work directly with local people to develop an audience framework and actionable plan for access.