Legacies of Slavery and Empire

Glasgow Life Museums cares for many objects that bear testimony to the histories of the British Empire and transatlantic slavery. Our collection includes objects taken violently as loot by British forces; cultural artefacts acquired by missionaries; portraits of merchants complicit in profiting from enslavement; objects that reflect people’s experiences of empire in Scotland, and much more.

Understanding the collection is key to engaging meaningfully with its relationship to slavery and empire and their complex legacies. The museum team and other contributors have been researching many aspects of the collection which is feeding into new catalogue records, new displays, publications and public programming. This blog presents some of the important research that is being undertaken.

This work cannot be done in isolation by museums staff alone. We recognise that slavery and empire have left pervasive legacies across the world. People affected by them are likely to have insights and perspectives on our collections that we have not yet reflected. We welcome the contributions people make to work across Glasgow Life Museums and would encourage anyone with an interest in our collections to get in touch.

Duncan Dornan
Head of Museums and Collections, Glasgow Life Museums