Collection: ANGUSalive

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The Museums and Galleries have a wide-ranging collection, much of it acquired by the former Town Councils, all of which were founded during the first half of the 19^th century. Most of the material acquired is of local significance, with Social History, Archaeology and Photography predominating. Less than 1% of the collections are out on loan at any time, mostly for short fixed terms to other Museums or Galleries for temporary exhibitions. All loans are adequately recorded.

  From 1^st December 2015 ANGUSalive has the responsibility for providing a Museum Service in Angus under a service level agreement with the Angus Council. The title and ownership of the collections is retained by Angus Council.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2017

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  Fine art

  The Museums and Galleries presently hold over 4000 paintings, watercolours, drawings and sculptures. Significant collections by William Lamb of Montrose, David Waterson of Brechin and James Watterston Herald of Forfar and Arbroath make up a considerable part of the collection. Part of the collection comprises portraits of Provosts of the former Burghs.

  The Meffan Winter Exhibition, held annually, adds to our contemporary collections of professional artists working in, or associated with, Angus by means of a purchase prize. The collections consist mainly of works by Angus born or domiciled artists, or works by other artists depicting local views or portraiture of local people.

  Applied art

  The Museums and Galleries have a small but expanding collection of works by Angus craftsmen. Of particular interest are collections of Arbroath and Montrose silver, clocks and watches by clockmakers from the Angus Burghs and pistols and pottery made in Brechin and Montrose.

  Archaeology

  The Museums and Galleries presently hold over 5000 artefacts from Angus and have greatly expanded this area of the collection in recent years. Especially strong is a nationally significant collection of carved Pictish Stones. Aberdeenshire Council Archaeology Service maintains the archaeological sites and monuments record for Angus Council under a service level agreement.

  Social history

  This is the largest collection, including a wide variety of artefacts covering the history of Angus over the last three centuries. The collection already includes some 80,000 photographs, many industrial. Angus Archives within the ANGUSalive Culture, Leisure and Sports Trust strives to ensure that printed local history material and manuscripts are conserved and made available for use. Within the museums, the maritime collections, especially fishing, are of national significance.

  The closure of Sunnyside Museum of Psychiatry at Montrose in 2001 meant that all locally significant material from this collection was transferred to Angus Council. This collection is strong in the origins and practice of psychiatry in Montrose and in the social life of staff and patients. Of particular note is a collection of stone carvings by an Adam Christie (the Gentle Shetlander). This collection is important as an early recognition of “Outsider Art”.

  Natural history

  This is a very large collection with some 10,000 dried plants in the Herbarium and a greater number of animal specimens, notably specimens of invertebrate Molluscs. A large proportion of these are of foreign origin, most having been collected last century. Information is collected relating to local wildlife and sites of importance in Angus.

  Geology

  There are over 10,000 specimens of Rocks, Minerals and Fossils in the collection, again mostly non-locally collected last century. There are nationally significant Devonian Fossils.

  The Museum Service collects information on the Geology of Angus and on Sites of Geological importance in the area.

  Numismatics

  There is a strong collection of Scottish coinage, medals and tokens. There is a locally significant collection of communion tokens.

  Ethnography

  There are strong collections of material from the Indian sub-continent, Africa and the Pacific and Antipodes. Further research requires to be undertaken on the significance of the local collectors, where known, of this material. Some of the earliest parts of the museum collections are of this material.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2017

  Licence: CC BY-NC