Collections and Applied Conservation

Collections and Applied Conservation are a team of museum professionals and experienced conservators, working at Historic Environment Scotland sites across the country to ensure the management and conservation of our objects and decorative architecture.

We also support access to and engagement with the collections, and operate Trinity House Maritime Museum in Leith.  

See objects in our collection on trove.scot

Our collections represent over 5,000 years of history and range from small archaeological finds to large industrial machinery. Most of our objects originate from our HES properties and many are still located there. The team manage more than 46,000 objects in total, relating to more than 160 of our Properties in Care.  

We care for some of Scotland’s most culturally significant objects, including the Honours of Scotland, the oldest crown jewels in the UK. Our extensive carved stone collections include finely sculptured Pictish symbol stones, early medieval Christian crosses, and elaborately decorated funerary stones. Our collections of everyday historic household and workplace objects provide an insight into life at our sites. 

The team undertake collections care activities across the HES Estate for objects both on display and in storage. This includes monitoring and controlling the environment and security of our collections, as well as taking forward conservation where needed. They support our object displays to help ensure our collections can continue to be seen and enjoyed by our visitors at their associated sites wherever possible. 

We document and keep detailed records of every object in our care on a specialist collections database. We carry out regular audits of our collections to ensure the data we hold is up to date. We manage the acquisition of new objects, as well as a loans programme with other museums, both lending our own objects for display elsewhere and borrowing objects to enhance displays at our sites.  

We undertake and commission research into our collections to enhance our understanding and to help develop our displays and online content. We work to make our collections accessible digitally, through 3D documentation and online on trove.scot. Visitors can see our collections at our on-site displays – over half our collections remain at their site of origin. We also provide access to our collections at outreach days and site events, look out for our popular Pop-up Museum! 

Bringing new objects into our collection is an exciting process and can significantly enhance knowledge and understanding of our sites. We collect material that originates from or is clearly associated with our sites.

To become part of the HES object collections, an object must meet at least one of the criteria below, that it: 

• was formerly part of the fabric of a building in our care 

• was discovered at one of our sites. This might be through archaeological excavations or other works, or as a chance find 

• has an archaeological, historical or other association with one of our sites 

• has clear potential to add to understanding or experience of a site 

• relates to the history and operation of the organisation 

If you have an object that you think might be associated with one of our sites and would like to discuss acquisition, we’d love to hear from you – we can be reached at collections@hes.scot.  Please note staff at our sites cannot accept objects unless this has been agreed with the Collections team in advance (with the exception of any objects discovered by chance during a visit, such as ground surface finds, which should be handed in). 

Our conservators cover a wide geographical and historical remit. They undertake conservation across fine and decorative stonework, paintings and metalwork throughout our Estate. They provide specialist advice and undertake technical research and analysis to ensure they are at the forefront of current and developing conservation best practice and provide the most adequate treatment for every object and architectural element they work on. They research the objects and materials they work on to understand their history and preserve it using traditional techniques and new conservation approaches. 

Their skills and expertise have contributed to the conservation of a wide range of sites and objects, such as the early medieval carvings at Fort Dunadd in Argyll, the 17th-century painted panelling of the James VI Birth Room in Edinburgh Castle, and the Stone of Destiny itself. 

Our stone conservators undertake the conservation of carved and decorative stonework throughout the HES Estate, helping to prevent the loss of historic material. This includes field monuments, ornate carved features of buildings, and the carved stones within the object collections, including sculptured stones, effigies and architectural fragments. 

Scotland’s diverse geology is reflected within the wide variety of stone types used to build the monuments and objects we care for. Sandstone, native schist, gneiss, granite and slate are all present, as well as imported limestones, marbles and alabaster. Our stone conservators use a wide range of specialist techniques to best conserve the full range of stone types across our sites. They also carry out moulding and casting for replication of carved stone, to replace it on site when it cannot be preserved outdoors. 

Our paintings conservators undertake the conservation of structural and easel paintings across the HES estate. These include painted walls, ceilings and decorative plasterwork within our properties, as well as framed and canvas works forming part of the collections. They use a wide range of specialist technical equipment and techniques to build a full understanding of painted objects and structures, ensuring preservation. 

They also conduct paint analysis across our sites to identify historic colours and inform conservation and restoration works.  

Our metals conservator provides conservation across a range of metal objects, from the Honours of Scotland to historic cannons and architectural metalwork. They work collaboratively with partner heritage organisations to develop new technical approaches and best practice for the benefit of the HES collections and the wider heritage sector. 

We support the wider museum, conservation and heritage sector by working to and promoting agreed national and international standards, taking part in collaborative projects and research, and providing training opportunities or specialist advice.