Overview
Subject Specialist Networks (SSNs) include both Scottish national, and UK-wide, groups. SSNs tend to be structured around knowledge-sharing among holders of specific collections types, including contemporary art, military/regimental collections, numismatics, or natural sciences, and provide opportunities for sharing knowledge and enhancing skills in collections subject areas. These groups can offer specific advice around these collection areas, supporting museums in the understanding, development and care of collections across Scotland and the UK.
On this page you can find some SSNs referenced by the subject they support. If you'd like to find support for those working in museums in your geographic area, visit our Geographic Museum Forums page.
Archaeology
Society for Museum Archaeology
UK wide
For more information visit: www.socmusarch.org.uk
or contact Gail Boyle gail.boyle@bristol.gov.uk
Medieval Pottery Research Group
UK wide
For more information visit: www.medievalpottery.org.uk
or contact Andrew Sage secretary@medievalpottery.org.uk
Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF)
Scotland specific
For more information visit: www.scottishheritagehub.com
or contact scarf@socantscot.org
Arts
Art UK
UK wide
For more information visit: http://artuk.org/
or contact info@artuk.org
Association of Performing Arts Collections
UK wide
For more information visit: https://performingartscollections.org.uk/
or contact info@performingartscollections.org.uk
British Art Network
UK wide
For more information visit: https://www.tate.org.uk/about-us/projects/british-art-network
or contact britishartnetwork@tate.org.uk
Contemporary Art Society
UK wide
For more information visit: http://www.contemporaryartsociety.org/about/
Or contact: info@contemporaryartsociety.org
European Paintings Pre-1900
UK wide
For more information visit: http://ssn.nationalgallery.org.uk/
Or contact: ssn@ng-london.org.uk
Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN)
Scotland specific
https://sca-net.org/what-is-scan
Scottish Society for Art Historians
Scotland specific
https://ssahistory.wordpress.com/
Understanding British Portraits
UK wide
https://www.britishportraits.org.uk/
Costume & Textile
The Costume Society of Scotland
Scotland specific
www.costumesocietyscotland.co.uk
Dress and Textile Specialists (DATS)
UK wide
For more information visit: www.dressandtextilespecialists.org.uk
or contact Rebecca Quinton: Rebecca.Quinton@glasgowlife.org.uk
Education & Learning
GEM Scotland
Scotland specific
MGS Strategic Learning Forum
Contact: Loretta Mordi
Emergency Services
Fire Heritage Network
UK wide
For more information visit: www.fireheritage.org
or contact Bob Bonner: secretary@fireheritage.org
Industrial & Transport
The British Aviation Preservation Council
UK wide
For more information visit: www.bapc.org.uk
or contact Brian Dixon secretarybapc@blueyonder.co.uk
Scottish Transport and Industry Collections Knowledge Network (STICK)
Scotland specific
For more information visit: http://www.stickssn.org/
or contact: stickssn@gmail.com
Maritime Curators’ Group
UK wide
For more information visit: http://www.ukmcs.org.uk/maritime-curators-group/
or contact Joanna Thomas: joannat@ssgreatbritain.org
Industrial Museums Scotland
Scotland specific
A dynamic group of industrial museums in Scotland. The network’s aim is to ensure that Scotland's amazing industrial heritage continues to play an important role in our rich culture, and serves to inspire the future whilst safeguarding the past.
For more information visit: https://www.goindustrial.co.uk/
or contact Emma Halford-Forbes, Coordinator: discover@goindustrial.co.uk
Medical
UK Medical Collections Group
UK wide
For more information visit: https://subjectspecialistnetworks.org.uk/find-an-ssn/uk-medical-collections-group/
or contact katie.dabin@sciencemuseum.ac.uk and mark.johnson@sciencemuseum.ac.k
Scotland & Medicine
Scotland
For more information contact m.h.jarron@dundee.ac.uk or L.Wilkie@rcsed.ac.uk
Military
Army Museums Ogilby Trust (AMOT)
UK wide
For more information visit: www.armymuseums.org.uk
or contact Andrew Lloyd diramot@armymuseums.co.uk
Association of Scottish Military Museums (ASSM)
Scotland specific
For more information contact INFHQ-SCOTS-HeritageSO2@mod.uk
Money & Medals
Money and Medals Network
UK wide
For more information visit: www.moneyandmedals.org.uk
Or contact newsletter@moneyandmedals.org.uk or Gabriela Hallas GHallas@britishmuseum.org
Money and Medals Network Scotland
Scotland
For more information visit: www.moneyandmedals.org.uk
Or contact Jesper Ericsson: jesper.ericsson@glasgow.ac.uk
Music
Musical Instruments Resource Network (MIRN)
UK wide
For more information visit: www.mirn.org.uk
or contact enquiries@mirn.org.uk
Natural sciences
Natural Sciences Collections Association (NatSCA)
UK wide
For more information visit: http://natsca.org/
or contact chair@natsca.org
Rural
Rural Museums Network
UK wide
For more information visit: www.ruralmuseums.org.uk
or contact Robin Hanley Robin.hanley@norfolk.gov.uk
Social History
Social History Curators’ Group
UK wide
For more information visit: www.shcg.org.uk
or contact Catherine Newley: catherine.newley@stalbans.gov.uk
Sport
Sports Heritage Scotland
Scotland specific
For more information visit: http://sportsheritagescotland.co.uk/index.php/about
Sporting Heritage/Sport in Museums Network
UK wide
For more information visit: www.sportingheritage.org.uk
Or contact: justine@sportingheritage.org.uk
World Cultures
Association for Curators for Collections from Egypt and Sudan
UK wide
For more information visit: https://accesssn.wordpress.com/
or contact Alice Stevenson alice.stevenson@ucl.ac.uk
Scottish Egyptology Collections Network
Scotland specific
For more information contact: Egyptology@nms.ac.uk or m.maitland@nms.ac.uk
China Art Research Network
UK wide
For more information visit: http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/cca/research/arthistoryresearch/projectsandnetworks/chinaartresearchnetwork/
East Asia Collections in Scotland Network
Scotland specific
For more information contact: partnerships@nms.ac.uk
Islamic Art and Material Culture SSN
UK wide
For more information visit: http://krc.orient.ox.ac.uk/iamcssn/index.php/en/
or contact Rebecca Bridgman rebecca.bridgman@birminghammuseums.org.uk
Museum Ethnographers Group
UK Wide
For more information visit: http://www.museumethnographersgroup.org.uk/en/
Or contact Claire Warrior at secretary@museumethnographersgroup.org.uk
Other
Folklore Museums Network
Britain and Ireland
The Folklore Museums Network works collaboratively with its members to identify, display and disseminate knowledge about the material folklore collections held in museums across Britain and Ireland.
Website: https://folkloremuseumsnetwork.org.uk/
Twitter: @FolkloreMuseums
For more information contact Peter Hewitt at:
peter-hewitt@folkloremuseumsnetwork.org.uk.
Plastics
UK wide
The Plastics SSN offers peer support for those working with the material group of plastics across all subject areas/themes.
For more information contact modip@aub.ac.uk
Queer Heritage and Collections Network
UK wide
The Queer Heritage and Collections Network provides training, networking and peer-support to people working with LGBTQ+ collections and histories.
For more information contact Dan Vo at:
Videogame Heritage Society
UK wide
The VHS is an SSN created to bring together organisations and individuals working in videogame collection, exhibition and interpretation in the UK.
For more information visit: https://vhs.thenvm.org/
Contact: vhs@thenvm.org
War and Conflict
UK wide
The War and Conflict Subject Specialist Network is run by IWM to build capacity, connections and confidence in the cultural heritage sector. Free to join, the SSN is open to not-for-profit organisations and groups who look at stories linked to conflict, from the First World War to the present day.
For more information contact Charlotte Pearce at partnerships@iwm.org.uk
Read more
The SSN Consortium draws together information about all of the Subject Specialist Networks in the UK:
subjectspecialistnetworks.org.uk/
@SubjectNetworks