East Lothian Council Museums

East Lothian Council Museums Service

Novaspero in Eyemouth Harbour, by John Bellany

East Lothian Museums on www.flickr.com

News!

WANTED - MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS!

Are you interested in local heritage? Would you like to help manage Musselburgh Museum and Heritage Group and the new Musselburgh Museum?
There are several voluntary opportunities for enthusiastic individuals with a range of skills and experience. If you would like to know more contact: MMHG, Old Town Hall, Musselburgh EH21 7BZ or email mmhgmusselburgh@gmail.com

Musselburgh Museum & Heritage Group
Scottish Registered charity SC003937

Welcome

East Lothian Council Museums Service came into existence in 1990 with the appointment of the first Museums Officer, although the then District Council had operated a museum in North Berwick since 1975. The service has three museums:

Prestongrange, near Prestonpans;
Dunbar Town House (Closed for refurbishment)
John Muir's Birthplace

We have a brand new museum in Musselburgh, which opened in April 2011, run by the Musselburgh Museum Heritage Group, with assistance from the Museums Service.

The John Gray Centre is due to open in Haddington in 2012.

The Coastal Museum at North Berwick is a community museum currently being developed in partnership with representatives from each area.

In addition the service puts on exhibitions and events, and supports activities, including exhibitions, by community groups across East Lothian. We also have an outreach service for schools.

Find out more by downloading our museums leaflet. You can get involved online too on Flickr, Facebook, YouTube or by reading our blog.

Collections

The Collections comprise some 25,000 items, ranging from steam locomotives to fine art, and including local archaeology, ceramics, textiles and costume, natural history specimens, as well as objects illustrating domestic, working and community life. Of particular importance are the Cornish Beam Engine at Prestongrange Museum, the Haddington Weavers and Craighall Friendly Society banners and a collection of stone anchors.

Collections not on display are held in our environmentally-controlled store at the Museums Service Headquarters in Haddington.

Explore our collections on Flickr, YouTube or Scran.

Collections and Access Policies

The Museums Service Collections Policy and Access Policy were approved by East Lothian Council in August 2005. The Collections Policy sets out our remit in terms of collecting as well as setting guidelines for recording, conserving and securing the collections. The Access Policy shows how we plan to make the collections, and information about the collections, available to the public and researchers through exhibitions, activities, publications and events.