The Collection

Impressionist-style painting by Cezanne of a riverside village with small houses nestled among tall trees, reflected in calm water under a cloudy blue sky. The title is 'The Chateau of Medan'

Discover the variety of paintings and objects in our care

The City of Glasgow owns one of the finest museum collections in the world, covering a broad spectrum of art, human history, natural history and transport and technology. The collection began in the 1850s and now includes over a million objects.

Glasgow Museums Collections Navigator database

Collections Navigator website

Our collection is recognised by the Scottish Government as a collection of national significance.

What is our museums collections Navigator database?

This is a digitised catalogue of most of the items in our collection. The information has been digitised from museum accession registers, the earliest of which dates from 1850.

Livadia Ship Model

Search the database

Our website has a number of keyword search options to help you. You will get objects, collection descriptions, exhibitions, archaeology sites and people records.

Ornate silver key

Arrange a viewing of an item

You can arrange to see objects from collections located at Glasgow Museums Resource Centre and not currently on display.

Students with lecturer viewing J D Fergusson - Hat With Bird: Anne Estelle Rice

School topics and themes

Discover what items in our collections could help school projects and learning

Dinosaur skeleton

Caring for over 5 million items, objects in our collection range from those made by ancient civilisations, to medieval tapestries, art by the French Impressionists and steam locomotives. The Collection is vast and offers fascinating insights into the lives of people around the world and through the centuries. Find out more below about how you can use the collection and how we manage it.

Using the Collection

Ways to engage with the objects and paintings

  • Find out more about our research facilities and how you can access them.

    Two curators at work in the Research Room at GMRC viewing textile objects laid flat on a table

  • Find out more about permissions for individual and commercial purposes in our museums.

    Angled view of a selection of art prints for sale through the online shop and photo library

  • View our guidelines

    Photography, filming and sketching in our museums

Managing the Collection

Our policies and guidelines

  • Our policy on returning works from the collection

    An ornately carved panel in the process of being packed in advance of repatriation.

  • How we care for and develop the collections

    View of one of the storage pods inside GMRC with a large wood filing cabinet in foreground

  • Our approach to the legacies of slavery and empire

    View of the exterior of the Gallery of Modern Art, lit up at night

  • How to borrow or lend works from or to the Museums and Collections

    Cropped view of Salvador Dali's Christ of St John of the Cross focused on the figure on the cross

  • The restitution of Nazi war loot

    Aerial view of Kelvingrove Park with the trees in full leaf and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

  • How to give items to Glasgow Museums

    A collection of vintage TVs on shelves in one of the storage rooms at GMRC

  • Immunity from Seizure (Temporary Grant)

    Photograph showing the outside of The Burrell Collection, in Pollok Country Park

Don't miss out!

Sign up for our Glasgow Life newsletter

We would love to keep you up to date with all the exciting news across Glasgow Life Museums.

Newsletter signup