Four seismographs now preserved in the collections of the Science Museum Group were originally installed at Eskdalemuir Observatory, Scotland, between 1908 and 1925. By attending to their provenance, this paper reconsiders the role of John Milne in forging international cooperation in seismology.

This paper introduces the three articles in this issue relating to Science City 1550–1800: The Linbury Gallery, which opened at the Science Museum, London, in 2019. It discusses the rationale behind the gallery and its relationship to collections and research.