Museum Collections Centre

Our research and conservation hub, open for tours

Culture Edinburgh looks after around 200,000 precious artworks and artefacts, and it’s impossible to display all of them in our main museums and galleries. Many of our pieces are housed in the Collections Centre, where they’re cared for by our expert team. Visitors are welcome on pre-booked tours, throughout the year.

Objects at the Collections Centre range from dolls' houses to wartime cooking utensils, and from 18th century water pipes to pantomime costumes. Tours of the Collections Centre will take you around some of the fascinating objects on open storage, and show you how the store and collections work.  Keep an eye on the What's On section for upcoming tours.

Researchers wanting to access specific parts of the collection can email MuseumCollectionsCentre@edinburgh.gov.uk to arrange a visit.

“Very interesting collections with excellent guides.” Visitor feedback