Scottish Historic Buildings Trust is a key partner of Leith Museum Trust. It is the national historic buildings preservation for Scotland, working across the country for the last five decades restoring buildings ranging from stately homes to shops, theatres to churches and more.

Crucially, SHBT does not seek to simply bring buildings back to their former glory, but to also ensure that they have a viable future. It leases office and retail spaces,hosts events and provides studios, ensuring that the charity does not rely on public funds, and is able to maintain its properties for future generations. SHBT also draws on the extensive skills and experience of its staff to undertake consultancy work for other organisations looking to conserve historic buildings in Scotland. It became the custodian of Leith Custom House in 2015, and in addition to developing plans for its restoration and the creation of a museum for Leith, it manages a roster of tenants who utilise Custom House and Custom Lane for studios, offices and commercial spaces, the income from which goes towards the upkeep of the building and the furtherance of its development.