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Museum of Science and Industry

About the collections

Our collections are Designated by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council as being 'pre-eminent collections of national and international importance'. Like most museums, we are only able to display a small fraction of our collections in our permanent galleries. Unlike most museums, we can also provide access to about a third of our reserve collections through our on-site Collections Centre.

For a detailed description of our collections and collecting activities, you can download a copy of our Acquisition and Disposal Policy. For a short summary, you can download the Acquisition and Disposal Policy: Summary.

What do we collect?

From clocks to carding machines - find out more about what MOSI collects.

Why do we collect?

Research, learning, enjoyment - our collections provide a valuable public resource.

How do we collect?

Find out what kind of things we get given and what we have to buy or borrow.

Caring for the collections

Discover how we care for our collections by storing, cleaning and repairing them carefully.

Recent acquisitions

Check out the highlights of our new additions to the collections.

Information sheets

Want more information about our collections? Get your downloads here.