History of Art (formerly the Department of Fine Art) is a popular and long-established department of Edinburgh University. It has the oldest full-time Chair of Art History in Britain which was founded in 1880. History of Art is located at Minto House, 20 Chambers Street, Edinburgh, opposite the Royal Museum of Scotland, and within easy walking distance of most of the galleries and museums of central Edinburgh. History of Art has book, slide and photographic collections, as well as a photographic unit. There is also a laboratory for the demonstration of metalworking techniques and methods of conservation.

A collection of postcards in photo albums and small file drawers was gathered together by members of Fine Art staff (in the Department's early years) for use as teaching aids before the advent of the popular colour slide format. The early postcard collection is important in that the cards are primarily of European buildings, many of which were lost or damaged during the revolutions and conflicts of the 20th century.