The Institute proudly announces the launch of a new Fellowship for 2024 in partnership with National Museums Scotland. The IASH-National Museums Scotland Fellowship offers postdoctoral scholars the opportunity to carry out research based on specific collections held at the National Museum of Scotland for up to 10 months.
National Museums Scotland (NMS) is an Independent Research Organisation (IRO) holding one of the largest and most diverse national heritage collections in the UK. Their collection comprises over 12.4 million objects across four collecting areas – Global Arts, Cultures & Design; Science & Technology; Scottish History & Archaeology; and Natural Sciences. NMS has four display sites - the National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Rural Life, the National Museum of Flight and the National War Museum. Their fifth site, the National Museums Collection Centre (NMCC), holds collections of national and international significance. Located in Granton, Edinburgh, NMCC is the heart of NMS' collections research and care with 99.8% of the estimated 12.6 million items held, accessed, cared for and researched at this site. One of NMS’s core functions, as defined by the National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985, is to “preserve, interpret and make accessible for all, the past and present of Scotland, other nations and cultures, and the natural world”. This is realised through the creation of research partnerships, including collaborative doctoral projects, as part of NMS’s Collections Research Strategy and its Independent Research Organisation status.
In the first year, there are three possible collections for study:
- The Jean Jenkins Collection of Ethiopian music and musical instruments
- The Scottish Development Agency Scottish Craft Collection covering craft made in Scotland between the late 1970s and late 1980s
- Collections of decorative arts, dress and textiles that represent regional cultures from Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, c.1750-1950
In each case, applicants should make contact with relevant NMS staff named on the application webpage before beginning their application. The deadline for 2024-25 applications is 17:00 GMT on 26 April 2024.
Professor Lesley McAra, IASH Director, said, "We are proud to partner with one of Scotland's premier heritage organisations; our Fellows have been inspired by NMS collections for more than half a century, and we have been honoured to collaborate on several exhibitions through the years, starting with A Hotbed of Genius in 1986, designed by John L. Paterson and attended by 20,000 visitors. This new Fellowship offers the unique opportunity to delve into three fascinating collections to uncover their creation, context and impact."
Image: Black Sun of Winter, a slate mosaic on a wood panel with a large central section with incised runic inscriptions, by George Garson, Scottish, 1980. © George Garson; NMS.