Collections management – the physical care and documentation of collections – plays an important role in a museum. It encompasses a variety of activities including collections development, providing access to the physical artefacts and information associated with them, and ensuring proper storage and care for collections. At the Heritage Conservation Centre (HCC), collections management team strives towards best practices for the physical care and management of the National Collection. The scope of HCC’s Collection Management Department includes organizational policy-setting, building and security maintenance, storage management of artefacts, conservation and scientific investigation of materials, environmental monitoring and control, exhibition and loan support, and emergency preparedness and response planning. This article charts the history and development of collections management in Singapore from early methods of documentation to current practices in preventive conservation.