Collection: Manx National Heritage

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The Manx Museum & National Trust has developed over 130 years. It was founded by Act of Tynwald ‘for the establishment of an Insular Public Museum, and for the better protection of Ancient Monuments’, namely the Museum & Ancient Monument Act 1886.

  The core of the early collections came from the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society which had been collecting for some time in anticipation of the establishment of the Manx Museum.

  P.M.C. Kermode (1855-1932), the first director in 1922, moved the collections to the Manx Museum from Castle Rushen and other locations on the Isle of Man, included in which was the giant deer and the Baume bequest of works by the Manx artist J.M.Nicholson. William Cubbon (1865-1955) was appointed secretary and librarian to the Manx Museum in 1922 founding the National Archive and Library.

  Since then the collections have developed through the transfer of material held by departments of the Isle of Man Government, public donation, and selective purchases. Today all acquisitions are scrutinised by the Collections Development Forum.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2025

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  Archaeology

  Around 20,000 items of local archaeology (excluding bulk excavation archives) dating from the Mesolithic period to the 17th Century. MNH acts as the main repository for excavated archaeological archives.

  Art

  Around 6,500 items including framed and unframed oil paintings, watercolours, drawings, sculptures and metalwork, by Manx-born artists or of Manx related subject matter. The national collection is rich in examples of topographical and historical work dating from the seventeenth century and includes a growing collection of work by contemporary Manx artists.

  Social History

  Around 30,000 artefacts representative of the personal, domestic, community and working life of the Manx people, from the sixteenth century to the present day. The collections reflect the essence of a small island nation with an historically rural economy, coupled with a thriving fishing industry which saw the development of a flourishing Tourist industry from the late nineteenth century up to the 1960s. All objects have significant Manx provenance either being made or used on the Isle of Man and are associated with social, cultural or political events of relevance to the Manx nation.

  Natural History

  Around 26,000 specimens (excluding large groups of material) and records. Distinct collections include entomology, notably Coleoptera (in excess of 2,000 specimens) and Lepidoptera (approximately 5,000 specimens), geology (over 1,800 specimens), zoology(over 6,000 specimens) and a herbarium (2,248 Manx specimens recently catalogued/inventoried). The fundamental requirement of any specimen and/or record is that it is from a location on the Isle of Man or within the twelve mile territorial waters around the Isle of Man, or is closely associated with a prominent Manx scientist or Isle of Man based organisation. Such a person will normally be a historical figure and the specimen material will contribute towards an understanding of his/her life and works.

  Archive

  Manuscripts, plans, maps, prints, posters, photographs, film, audio. The Archive contains around 1.4 million photographs, 1,200 sound and moving image deposits and about 22,O00 deposits of manuscript archives, maps and plans. The collection forms a rich central resource of information on all aspects of Manx cultural, economic, social and political heritage.

  Library

  Holds 52,000 accessioned items. The collection forms a rich central resource of printed information on all aspects of Manx cultural, economic, social and political heritage.

  Non-permanent collections

  MNH holds a number of items which do not form part of the permanent collections of the organisation. These non-accessioned assets are not subject to the disposals procedures described later in this policy. Should, however, items of particular importance be acquired for this non-permanent collection which are of merit, value, or significance, consideration may subsequently be given to their transfer and accessioning into the permanent collection.

  Loan collections

  MNH holds a number of objects on loan, some of which have been with the organisation since the 1920s. There is now a presumption against taking objects on loan unless for a specific exhibition or display, this would normally be for a maximum period of five years. The organisation has a policy of attempting to contact historic lenders with a view to either converting long term loans to donations, or returning the loaned item to a direct descendent of the owner where this can be established.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2025

  Licence: CC BY-NC