Behind the schemes at the museum

The archaeology collection in Dumfries will feature on a website

Six museums and galleries have been awarded funds to improve public access to their collections.

More than £230,000 has gone to the sites in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bo'ness, Alloway and Dumfries.

Culture Minister Linda Fabiani said she believed the important collections should be "shared with as many people as possible".

The funding will allow a range of measures to be taken to improve access to the collections involved.

Earlier this year a total of 10 collections were selected to be part of a national recognition scheme.

HOW THE FUNDING WILL IMPROVE KEY COLLECTIONS Interactive website for Dumfries and Galloway archaeology collection Sound guides at University of Edinburgh collection of historical musical instruments Curator for the Scottish Railway Preservation Society in Bo'ness Conservation and documentation work for Burns Monument Trust in Alloway Digital database of Roman Imperial coin collection at Hunterian Museum in Glasgow Printed and online guide to Surgeons' Hall Museum in Edinburgh

It entitled them to apply for grants of up to £40,000 for projects designed to attract new audiences and raise standards.

"These collections should be shared with as many people as possible and through the recognition scheme I look forward to seeing direct benefits for our local museums and galleries around the country," said Ms Fabiani.

Recognition committee chairman Douglas Connell said the funding could make an important impact.

"To achieve recognition status, the applicants had to demonstrate the uniqueness, authenticity, comprehensiveness, and national value of their collection," he said.

"It is wonderful to be able to now fund their aspirations to undertake projects such as increasing accessibility to their collections and improving how they are cared for."