ICE Scotland Museum – A collection of items owned by the Scotland Region of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Source: https://ice-museum-scotland.hw.ac.uk
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:34
ICE Scotland Museum – A collection of items owned by the Scotland Region of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Portrait of Sir William Arrol
Cabinet of surveying instruments
Device with handle in place
Crest with motto plate
Suez Canal Medal: obverse
iew of Queensferry Crossing anchor plate showing one strand in place with wedges in situ
The model shown displayed outside the William Arrol Building
Entire compass
Sir William McAlpine unveiling the nameplate at Heriot-Watt University on 11 July 2016
The three paperweights
Telescopic alidade made by ER Watts & Son, London
Artificial horizon with glass bubble
13 in brass “Y” level by Miller & Adie (c.1817)
The portrait
66 ft land measuring Gunter's chain of iron with brass handles consisting of 100 links
Pair of tar layers' clogs
Base of Tellurometer showing tripod connectioon point
Pelikan ink bottle
Detail showing link and pin arrangement
Union Chain Bridge: eye-bar
Previous
Next
The Institution of Civil Engineers Scotland Museum is home to a collection of over 700 artefacts relating to civil engineering many of which have strong local connections including a number of items relating to the Forth bridges. In addition to the collection of artefacts, the website hosts
The Paxton Archive
which comprises over 460 papers and other documents on a wide variety of historical and biographical civil engineering topics written by or about Professor Roland Paxton (1932-2025) over several decades.
The collection is owned by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and under an agreement between the Museum and Heriot-Watt University the collection is hosted by the University.
The museum is located at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh Campus at Riccarton where many of the items are on display in cabinets in the east crush area of Level 1 of the William Arrol Building and other larger items are placed at other locations both inside and at the west end of the William Arrol Building. The museum is unattended; however, visitors are most welcome to visit on any weekday between 7 am and 6 pm (there is no restriction on members of the public entering the University buildings). There is an online guide which can be opened as a
pdf file.
Paper copies of the guide are also available at the museum on Level 1 (east end).
Convenient disabled parking is available on Fourth Gait (off Boundary Road North) close to the west door of the William Arrol Building. The west door provides a level entry to the building. A lift to all floors is available at the east end of the building.
What’s new
Why do land surveyors have to thank the National Gallery of Scotland? Update
January 21, 2026
Professor Roland Paxton: Obituary in The Scotsman 27 November 2025
November 27, 2025
BBC’s Last Word: Professor Roland Paxton
November 22, 2025
Obituary Note: Professor Roland Paxton
November 3, 2025
Laigh Milton Viaduct
October 7, 2025
Recent Acquisitions
Calculating Machine
2026/017 Arithma Addiator calculating machine c.1930
Scale
2026/016 6 in wooden scale c.1930
Letter Opener
2026/015 Souvenir letter opener c.2007
Compass
2026/014 T.G. Co. Ltd. MkIII (Mark III) Prismatic Compass 1940
Brooch
2026/013 Brooch made in steel from the Forth Bridge. c.2000
Videos
To see a collection of short videos highlighting aspects of the collection please visit our
Video Highlights
page.
User Surveys
The museum is interested to know your views on using the ICE Scotland Museum website. It should only take a minute. Please click
here
to take the survey.
If anyone has recently visited the museum and would wish to fill a short visitor questionnaire please click
here
to take the survey.
Visiting the Museum
The museum is currently open to the public between the hours of 07.00 and 18.00 on Mon – Fri. Members of the public are welcome to visit independently. Items on display are located in and around the William Arrol Building.
If anyone would like a guided tour or wish to study an item not on display please email icescotlandmuseum@gmail.com with a request – we are always happy to help.
Find Us
Address
William Arrol Building
School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS)
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh EH14 4AS
Hours
Monday—Friday: 08.00 - 18.00.
For travel information click
here.
Portrait of Sir William Arrol
Cabinet of surveying instruments
Device with handle in place
Crest with motto plate
Suez Canal Medal: obverse
iew of Queensferry Crossing anchor plate showing one strand in place with wedges in situ
The model shown displayed outside the William Arrol Building
Entire compass
Sir William McAlpine unveiling the nameplate at Heriot-Watt University on 11 July 2016
The three paperweights
Telescopic alidade made by ER Watts & Son, London
Artificial horizon with glass bubble
13 in brass “Y” level by Miller & Adie (c.1817)
The portrait
66 ft land measuring Gunter's chain of iron with brass handles consisting of 100 links
Pair of tar layers' clogs
Base of Tellurometer showing tripod connectioon point
Pelikan ink bottle
Detail showing link and pin arrangement
Union Chain Bridge: eye-bar
Previous
Next
The Institution of Civil Engineers Scotland Museum is home to a collection of over 700 artefacts relating to civil engineering many of which have strong local connections including a number of items relating to the Forth bridges. In addition to the collection of artefacts, the website hosts
The Paxton Archive
which comprises over 460 papers and other documents on a wide variety of historical and biographical civil engineering topics written by or about Professor Roland Paxton (1932-2025) over several decades.
The collection is owned by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and under an agreement between the Museum and Heriot-Watt University the collection is hosted by the University.
The museum is located at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh Campus at Riccarton where many of the items are on display in cabinets in the east crush area of Level 1 of the William Arrol Building and other larger items are placed at other locations both inside and at the west end of the William Arrol Building. The museum is unattended; however, visitors are most welcome to visit on any weekday between 7 am and 6 pm (there is no restriction on members of the public entering the University buildings). There is an online guide which can be opened as a
pdf file.
Paper copies of the guide are also available at the museum on Level 1 (east end).
Convenient disabled parking is available on Fourth Gait (off Boundary Road North) close to the west door of the William Arrol Building. The west door provides a level entry to the building. A lift to all floors is available at the east end of the building.
What’s new
Why do land surveyors have to thank the National Gallery of Scotland? Update
January 21, 2026
Professor Roland Paxton: Obituary in The Scotsman 27 November 2025
November 27, 2025
BBC’s Last Word: Professor Roland Paxton
November 22, 2025
Obituary Note: Professor Roland Paxton
November 3, 2025
Laigh Milton Viaduct
October 7, 2025
Recent Acquisitions
Calculating Machine
2026/017 Arithma Addiator calculating machine c.1930
Scale
2026/016 6 in wooden scale c.1930
Letter Opener
2026/015 Souvenir letter opener c.2007
Compass
2026/014 T.G. Co. Ltd. MkIII (Mark III) Prismatic Compass 1940
Brooch
2026/013 Brooch made in steel from the Forth Bridge. c.2000
Videos
To see a collection of short videos highlighting aspects of the collection please visit our
Video Highlights
page.
User Surveys
The museum is interested to know your views on using the ICE Scotland Museum website. It should only take a minute. Please click
here
to take the survey.
If anyone has recently visited the museum and would wish to fill a short visitor questionnaire please click
here
to take the survey.
Visiting the Museum
The museum is currently open to the public between the hours of 07.00 and 18.00 on Mon – Fri. Members of the public are welcome to visit independently. Items on display are located in and around the William Arrol Building.
If anyone would like a guided tour or wish to study an item not on display please email icescotlandmuseum@gmail.com with a request – we are always happy to help.
Find Us
Address
William Arrol Building
School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society (EGIS)
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh EH14 4AS
Hours
Monday—Friday: 08.00 - 18.00.
For travel information click
here.