At its surface, the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum is an internationally important collection for understanding the profound changes in late Victorian era English literature that continue to impact society today. Yet Stevenson’s literary skill is only part of his legacy highlighted at RLSM.

With a diverse permanent collection, RLSM is able to explore beyond the words written by or about Stevenson through the interpretation of his personal possessions and those of his family. This opens exploration into the realms of late 19th century daily life, travel during the eras of American expansionism and European colonialism, Polynesian cultures, and various aesthetic movements of the era. 

To best reflect the holdings of RLSM, the permanent collection can be broken down into the following categories: