Collection of the week is a weekly learning experience which enables learners to get involved in creating collections, collecting data to contribute to scientific research, citizen science and viewing collections of objects from the past.

Many artists are interested in collections and collecting and involving others in this process to create artwork. Tania Kovats is calling upon a global network of people to collect a sample of water from seas and oceans across the world and send it to The Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh to create an artwork called ‘All the seas’. The Fruitmarket Gallery welcome Scottish learners to participate in this work and will be providing additional learning experiences to develop the concept of collections, maps and journeys.

Citizen science involves volunteers, in this case Scottish learners, collecting real data to contribute to valuable scientific research.  The surveys that have been selected for the autumn collection of learning experiences are research streams for  Open Air Laboratories (OPAL).  Learners will be encouraged to document and share the ‘stories’ behind their data collection in Glow.

National Museums Scotland are working in partnership with Education Scotland to share collections of national importance.  The curators will demonstrate their expertise in asking questions to support learners in interpreting historical evidence and to build a picture of Scotland’s heritage and other societies in the past.

Find out more about Collections of the past Dinosaur Discovery