Museums & Collections
We care for thousands of objects across East Ayrshire’s museum collections, spanning Fine and Decorative Art, Local and Social History, Natural Sciences and more.
Collected over a period of over 150 years by individuals, groups and earlier museums, East Ayrshire’s collections are often regarded as unusual in their quality and range, with a number of objects have been loaned for exhibition to other museums across the UK and Europe highlighting the area’s role in Scotland’s cultural heritage.
Collection highlights include internationally significant early musical instruments (such as the Bassano Renaissance violin), rare arms and armour, Ayrshire Needlework, Mauchline Ware, Cumnock Pottery, and original Robert Burns manuscripts. Much‑loved favourites like Brian the Lion and the whale jawbones, popular highlights at the Dick Institute, continue to attract visitors of all ages.
Alongside specialist pieces, the collections include everyday historical objects that reveal how people in East Ayrshire lived, worked and spent their leisure time over the centuries. These items offer a unique insight into both local and global histories, making our collections an invaluable resource for researchers, schools and heritage enthusiasts.
Although not all objects can be on permanent display, those in storage are carefully preserved, researched and documented by our dedicated Collections Care team. Many items can still be explored by appointment, through special exhibitions, or online via Future Museum, allowing greater access to East Ayrshire’s cultural heritage.
Future Museum is a regional partnership offering free online access to museum and gallery collections across south‑west Scotland. It brings together Ayrshire360, East Ayrshire Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, North Ayrshire Council, South Ayrshire Council and independent museums to share stories, objects and the rich history of the area.
Header image - Greek Girls Playing Ball, oil on canvas, Frederic Leighton (1830 - 1896)
Musical Instrument Recognised Collection
Scotland’s Recognition Scheme celebrates, promotes and invests in Nationally Significant Collections beyond those held in our national museums and galleries. East Ayrshire Council’s Musical Instrument Collection secured the highly regarded and exclusive Recognition Status in 2014.
The collection of historic musical instruments cared for by East Ayrshire Leisure Trust on behalf of East Ayrshire Council features lutes, guitars, harpsichords, recorders, pianos and harps and boasts one of the earliest violins in existence - an English Renaissance violin made by the Bassano family which dates from between 1550 and 1580.
The significance and quality of some of the musical instruments has been compared to those found in the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. However, to see the latest Recognised Collection of National Significance you only need to go as far as Dean Castle in Kilmarnock.
Other highlights include a rare Royal Irish Portable Harp made in 1821 by John Egan who was harp-maker to King George IV, an 18th century Apollo Lyre which is one of a few in existence and some highly decorated and intricately-constructed miniature fiddles.
One instrument - a Ganer square piano dating from 1786 - holds a connection with Robert Burns. Accounts by the Gregory Family of Kilmarnock, who bought the piano and in whose house Burns stayed, maintains that it was the only piano in the area at the time. Mrs. Gregory is known to have played for Burns and it is likely that he listened to the songs he composed on this piano.
The Robert Burns Collection
The Robert Burns Collection at Burns House Musuem in Mauchline is officially recognised as being of national significance as part of the wider collections cared for by the Museums of the Burns Scotland Partnership.
