The University of Strathclyde holds two important museum collections: Fine Art and Historic Scientific Instruments. The Fine Art Collection comprises more than 1,000 paintings, prints and drawings dating from the late 18th century to the present day. Most of the commissioned works are portraits in oils of the University’s senior officers, including Vice-Chancellors and Conveners of Court. There is also a small but significant collection of paintings – also mainly portraits – relating to Anderson’s Institution, which, founded in 1796, was the origin of the current University. The contemporary part of the collection focuses mainly on Scottish artists and includes key works by Joyce Cairns and Margaret Hunter. A small number were purchased by the University with grant aid from public funds but the majority, a mix of established and amateur artists, were gifted by former University librarian and art enthusiast Dr Helen Cargill-Thompson. The collection of Historic Scientific Instruments was largely accumulated by John Anderson, founder of Strathclyde’s predecessor institution. It includes compasses, scales, microscopes and an orrery, a device showing the position of planets and moons in the solar system. Illustrated records of the contents of both collections are available on a database, accessible from Strathclyde’s Archive. A number of works from the art collection are on display in the University’s Collins Building.