The Heritage Collections teams preserve, provide access to and interpret the heritage collections looked after by the University, online, in galleries and in reading rooms.  We actively collect and document heritage past, present and future. We are a unique and interdisciplinary research laboratory, collaborating on research, teaching and civic engagement. 

Our staff and collections are located across multiple sites including the Centre for Research Collections (Main Library, George Square) and St Cecilia’s Hall Concert Room & Music Museum (Niddry Street).

Five Functional Principles 

• Academic connectivity
• Making our collections discoverable
• Supporting our researchers and visitors
• Engaging with our communities
• Caring for the collections

Organisation

The Heritage Collections unit is managed across two sections:

Heritage Collections (Research & Curatorial)

Daryl Green FSA, Head of Heritage Collections (Research & Curatorial) and Co-Director of the Centre for Research Collections

• Research Collections
• Research Collections Discovery & Projects
• Lothian Health Services Archive

Heritage Collections (Access & Engagement)

Jacky MacBeath, Head of Heritage Collections (Access & Engagement) and Co-Director of the Centre for Research Collections

• Research Services
• Conservation & Collections Management
• Civic Engagement

Heritage Collections is part of the Library & University Collections Directorate.

Scope

The Heritage Collections teams are custodians of all centrally-managed heritage collections of the University, actively collecting, curating and caring for tomorrow’s heritage today. There are several University Schools and Colleges that retain locally held collections which our teams advise on (such as the Anatomical Collection); however, we do not provide direct access to, nor are named custodians of, these collections.