Missionaries such as the Reverend John Campbell and Robert Morrison believed it was their calling to bring Christianity to Africa and Asia. But within Scotland some questioned their implicit assumption that distant cultures needed to be ‘enlightened’ by Europeans. Among their number was George Wilson, a scientist and museum director from Argyll. Although an orthodox Christian in his own beliefs, as the first Director of the Industrial Museum of Scotland he despatched Scots around the world to collect artefacts and information about other cultures. Although such activities could sometimes be exploitative and insensitive, they led to a much deeper understanding of the richness and complexity of beliefs and practices outside the Christian West. In doing so, they paved the way for more tolerant and appreciative relations between Scotland and the wider world.