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Blog post
Hieroglyphs from the North: Newcastle and Jean-François Champollion
On the 27th of September 1822, a young scholar delivered a paper just eight pages long and rather unassumingly titled ‘Letter to Monsieur Dacier’, but which would completely change the world’s understanding of ancient history. The scholar was Jean-François Champollion and his paper was the first truly significant breakthrough in...Maitland, Margaret
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Blog post
Collecting the present
Contemporary collecting has been a hot topic for many museums for several years now. Curators have adopted several different approaches to ensuring their institutions are responsive and capturing the important issues of the time so that present and future visitors are better able to understand and learn from the experience...Breward, Chris
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Learning object
Introduction to the documentation of fossils and other Natural Science collections
Until March 2021 we will be working with museums across Scotland to increase engagement with natural science collections. With generous funding from the John Ellerman Foundation, this project will advance curatorial expertise and improve collections care with the aim of enhancing the impact of locally held natural science materials for...Bearsmore, Susan ; Thomson, Jo
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Blog post
Stories in stone the lost history of Indian sculpted deities
Friederike Voigt explains how research carried out 200 years ago has helped her piece together the lost history of sculpted deities brought to Scotland from IndiaVoigt, Friederike
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Blog post
Artistic expressions of today: Sustainability and consumption
Over the last year, we have acquired several artefacts that discuss how the impact of the pandemic and wider socio-political subjects have inspired the creation of some remarkable works of art, craft and design that reflect these times. Sarah Rothwell, Senior Curator of Modern & Contemporary Design, concludes our mini-series...Rothwell, Sara
Jewellery , Sustainability, Contemporary Collecting, Contemporary Jewellery, and Climate
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Blog post
Artistic expressions of today: Communication
Over the last year, we have acquired several artefacts that discuss how the impact of the pandemic and wider socio-political subjects have inspired the creation of some remarkable works of art, craft and design that reflect these times. Sarah Rothwell, Senior Curator of Modern & Contemporary Design, continues our mini-series...Rothwell, Sarah
Contemporary Art , COVID-19, Contemporary Collecting, and Ceramics
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Blog post
John J Deas: Scotland's typewriter pioneer
When the first typewriters went on sale in Scotland in 1876, these American-made machines were little known novelties with few obvious customers. It took forward minded retailers to see the value in typewriters. One of the most successful was John J Deas of Dundee who pioneered the sale of typewriters...Inglis, James ; Taubman, Alison
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Interactive resource
Fashioning the past in the present
Our panel explored how clothes tell stories on stage and screen. From how accurate costumes allow actors to connect with their characters to when it might be necessary to take liberties for entertainment.Wallis, Mark ; Romero, Stefan ; Taylor, Emily
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Interactive resource
What’s up with Bridgerton’s wardrobe?
Created by American costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, the costumes of Netflix hit series Bridgerton (of which there were some 7,500 pieces) unapologetically play with notions of historical accuracy. Utilising brash colours, almost absurdly high waistlines, zip fastenings, modern fabrics and machine embroidery, they also deviate from social norms and etiquette...Gernerd, Elisabeth ; Miranda, Cat ; McLeod, Miriam
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Blog post
The Roaring Twenties 2.0
The 1920s in the West is perceived as a decade of economic prosperity following the impact of the First World War and the Spanish flu. Remembered for social, artistic and cultural dynamism, the 1920s ushered in modernity via new technology and trends: from cars to cinema, fashion to music, and...Ripley, Georgina
COVID-19 , Art And Design , 1920s, and Jazz Age
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Blog post
Royal roundel acquiring the James V / Marie de Guise armorial roundel
An ‘attic sale’ of objects from Dunrobin Castle gave National Museums Scotland the opportunity to acquire four armorial roundels. One of these roundels depicts the combined coat of arms of Marie de Guise and James V, parents of Mary, Queen of Scots. Dr Anna Groundwater discusses this roundel’s symbolism, its...Groundwater, Anna
New Acquisitions , Scottish History, Marie De Guise , John Knox , Edinburgh , and Mary Queen Of Scots
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Blog post
The Traprain Treasure silver replicas
Every so often an archaeological discovery comes along that grips the imagination of the public. This fascination with the past has driven a production line of replicas, making ‘ancient’ artefacts available for those that wish to own a piece of history. The replicas of the remarkable Roman silver hoard from...McGill, Lyndsay
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Blog post
Concepts have teeth Blackfoot objects at National Museums Scotland
A project exploring Blackfoot quillwork in Scottish museums recently led a remote visit to explore and scan Blackfoot collections held in our collections. Members of the project team tell us about this visit and how digital imaging techniques are allowing for closer engagements with cultural heritage.Minkin, Louisa ; Clark, Christine ; Shouting, Melissa ; Clark, Ali
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Blog post
Joan Faithfull’s Mull pottery
What does it mean for an object to be ‘of’ a place? Joan Fathfull’s pottery in Tormore, Mull, became a fixture for visitors to the Inner Hebrides in the mid-20th century. Ailsa Hutton, Assistant Curator of Modern and Contemporary History, discusses the recent gifting of Joan’s works by her sons,...Hutton, Ailsa
Scottish History, Contemporary Collecting , Mull , and Pottery
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Blog post
Trade, taste and tea bowls: uncovering Chinese ceramics in our collections
Ceramic objects are useful in day-to-day life and may also be put on display, for example in people’s homes, yet they are more than just functional or decorative. They can also tell stories of manufacturing, taste and international trade. National Museums Scotland has a large and important but little-known Chinese...Cao, Qin
World Cultures, Ceramics , and China
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Blog post
Take to the Skye: New pterosaur discovery
A recent spectacular find on the Isle of Skye shines new light on pterosaurs of the Jurassic period. Our Keeper of Natural Sciences Nick Fraser tells us more about this discovery, Skye’s fossil riches and the people bringing them to light, both in the past and today.Fraser, Nicholas C
Fossils , Palaeontology , Skye, and Dinosaurs
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Blog post
The Iqbalnama: celebrating the life of Sardar Iqbal Singh
The Iqbalnama is a series of six paintings depicting the life of Sardar Iqbal Singh, a Sikh man from Lahore, India, who moved to Scotland and fostered cross-cultural connections. We mark one year since he passed away with a reflection on his achievements by Elizabeth Guest, as well as a...Guest, Elizabeth
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Blog post
Cups saucers and women's right to vote
How might our design choices inform our values? A recent addition to our collections allows us to explore a group of radical ceramics for Women’s History Month. Claire Blakey, Curator Modern Decorative Arts, talks us through a tea set made to champion women’s suffrage.Blakey, Claire
Suffragette , Women , Ceramics, and WSPU
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Blog post
A badge of honour
The symbolic nature of jewellery has allowed wearers to signal their beliefs, alliances and values for thousands of years. For Women’s History Month, our Senior Curator Modern & Contemporary Design Sarah Rothwell explores the recent acquisition of a brooch that tells the defiant story of women’s suffrage.Rothwell, Sarah
Suffragette , Women , Women Designers, and WSPU
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Blog post
Connecting collections through the congruence engine
Like all museums, what we have on display at any one time barely scratches the surface of the 12 million objects in our collection. We try to make these collections more accessible to as many people as possible. So we’re excited to be part of a newly launched partnership of...Taubman, Alison
Digital , Technology , Congruence Engine , Energy , Textiles, Science And Technology , and Communications
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