diff --git a/pydatalab/pydatalab/blocks/blocks.py b/pydatalab/pydatalab/blocks/blocks.py
index 11f2b4c17..9b263c78c 100644
--- a/pydatalab/pydatalab/blocks/blocks.py
+++ b/pydatalab/pydatalab/blocks/blocks.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class DataBlock:
     cache: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None
     plot_functions: Optional[Sequence[Callable[[], None]]] = None
     # whether this datablock can operate on collection data, or just individual items
-    __supports_collections: bool = False
+    _supports_collections: bool = False
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -63,10 +63,11 @@ def __init__(
         if dictionary is None:
             dictionary = {}
 
-        if item_id is None and not self.__supports_collections:
+        if item_id is None and not self._supports_collections:
+            breakpoint()
             raise RuntimeError(f"Must supply `item_id` to make {self.__class__.__name__}.")
 
-        if collection_id is not None and not self.__supports_collections:
+        if collection_id is not None and not self._supports_collections:
             raise RuntimeError(
                 f"This block ({self.__class__.__name__}) does not support collections."
             )
@@ -174,20 +175,20 @@ def update_from_web(self, data):
 class NotSupportedBlock(DataBlock):
     blocktype = "notsupported"
     description = "Block not supported"
-    __supports_collections = True
+    _supports_collections = True
 
 
 class CommentBlock(DataBlock):
     blocktype = "comment"
     description = "Comment"
-    __supports_collections = True
+    _supports_collections = True
 
 
 class MediaBlock(DataBlock):
     blocktype = "media"
     description = "Media"
     accepted_file_extensions = (".png", ".jpeg", ".jpg", ".tif", ".tiff", ".mp4", ".mov", ".webm")
-    __supports_collections = False
+    _supports_collections = False
 
     @property
     def plot_functions(self):
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ class NMRBlock(DataBlock):
     description = "Simple NMR Block"
     accepted_file_extensions = ".zip"
     defaults = {"process number": 1}
-    __supports_collections = False
+    _supports_collections = False
 
     @property
     def plot_functions(self):
diff --git a/pydatalab/pydatalab/routes/v0_1/blocks.py b/pydatalab/pydatalab/routes/v0_1/blocks.py
index d64d0570a..511a90624 100644
--- a/pydatalab/pydatalab/routes/v0_1/blocks.py
+++ b/pydatalab/pydatalab/routes/v0_1/blocks.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def add_collection_data_block():
         )
 
     # get the new display_order:
-    display_order_result = flask_mongo.db.items.find_one(
+    display_order_result = flask_mongo.db.collections.find_one(
         {"collection_id": collection_id, **get_default_permissions(user_only=True)},
         {"display_order": 1},
     )
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ def add_collection_data_block():
     )
 
 
+add_collection_data_block.methods = ("POST",)  # type: ignore
+
+
 def _save_block_to_db(block: DataBlock) -> bool:
     """Save data for a single block within an item to the database,
     overwriting previous data saved there.
diff --git a/webapp/src/server_fetch_utils.js b/webapp/src/server_fetch_utils.js
index 11ca23f58..5eedf1112 100644
--- a/webapp/src/server_fetch_utils.js
+++ b/webapp/src/server_fetch_utils.js
@@ -358,25 +358,6 @@ export function addABlock(item_id, block_type, index = null) {
   return block_id_promise;
 }
 
-export function addACollectionBlock(collection_id, block_type, index = null) {
-  console.log("addACollectionBlock called with", collection_id, block_type);
-  var block_id_promise = fetch_post(`${API_URL}/add-collection-data-block/`, {
-    collection_id: collection_id,
-    block_type: block_type,
-    index: index,
-  })
-    .then(function (response_json) {
-      store.commit("addACollectionBlock", {
-        collection_id: collection_id,
-        new_block_obj: response_json.new_block_obj,
-        new_block_insert_index: response_json.new_block_insert_index,
-      });
-      return response_json.new_block_obj.block_id;
-    })
-    .catch((error) => console.error("Error in addACollectionBlock:", error));
-  return block_id_promise;
-}
-
 export function saveItem(item_id) {
   console.log("saveItem Called!");
   var item_data = store.state.all_item_data[item_id];
diff --git a/webapp/src/store/index.js b/webapp/src/store/index.js
index 7dc8f6207..ab1826c35 100644
--- a/webapp/src/store/index.js
+++ b/webapp/src/store/index.js
@@ -132,33 +132,6 @@ export default createStore({
         state.all_item_data[item_id]["display_order"].push(new_block_id);
       }
     },
-    addACollectionBlock(state, { collection_id, new_block_obj, new_block_insert_index }) {
-      // payload: item_id, new_block_obj, new_display_order
-
-      // I should actually throw an error if this fails!
-      console.assert(
-        collection_id == new_block_obj.collection_id,
-        "The block has a different collection_id (%s) than the collection_id provided to addACollectionBlock (%s)",
-        collection_id,
-        new_block_obj.collection_id
-      );
-      console.log(
-        `addACollectionBlock called with: ${collection_id}, ${new_block_obj}, ${new_block_insert_index}`
-      );
-      let new_block_id = new_block_obj.block_id;
-      state.all_collection_data[collection_id]["blocks_obj"][new_block_id] = new_block_obj;
-      if (new_block_insert_index) {
-        state.all_collection_data[collection_id]["display_order"].splice(
-          new_block_insert_index,
-          0,
-          new_block_id
-        );
-      }
-      // if new_block_insert_index is None, then block is inserted at the end
-      else {
-        state.all_collection_data[collection_id]["display_order"].push(new_block_id);
-      }
-    },
     updateBlockData(state, payload) {
       // requires the following fields in payload:
       // item_id, block_id, block_data
diff --git a/webapp/src/views/CollectionPage.vue b/webapp/src/views/CollectionPage.vue
index 6a9897c57..588248d73 100644
--- a/webapp/src/views/CollectionPage.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/views/CollectionPage.vue
@@ -10,35 +10,6 @@
     </span>
     <div class="navbar-nav">
       <a class="nav-item nav-link" href="/">Home</a>
-      <div class="nav-item dropdown">
-        <a
-          class="nav-link dropdown-toggle ml-2"
-          id="navbarDropdown"
-          role="button"
-          data-toggle="dropdown"
-          aria-haspopup="true"
-          aria-expanded="false"
-          @click="isMenuDropdownVisible = !isMenuDropdownVisible"
-        >
-          Add a block
-        </a>
-        <div
-          class="dropdown-menu"
-          style="display: block"
-          aria-labelledby="navbarDropdown"
-          v-show="isMenuDropdownVisible"
-        >
-          <template v-for="(blockType, id) in blockTypes" :key="id">
-            <a
-              v-if="blockTypes[id].supportsCollections == true"
-              class="dropdown-item"
-              @click="newBlock($event, id)"
-            >
-              {{ blockType.description }}
-            </a>
-          </template>
-        </div>
-      </div>
       <a class="nav-item nav-link" :href="this.collectionApiUrl" target="_blank">
         <font-awesome-icon icon="code" fixed-width /> View JSON
       </a>
@@ -62,19 +33,15 @@
   <!-- Item-type header information goes here -->
   <div class="editor-body">
     <CollectionInformation :collection_id="collection_id" />
-
-    <div class="container">
-      <hr />
-    </div>
   </div>
 </template>
 
 <script>
 import CollectionInformation from "@/components/CollectionInformation";
-import { getCollectionData, saveCollection, addACollectionBlock } from "@/server_fetch_utils";
+import { getCollectionData, saveCollection } from "@/server_fetch_utils";
 import FormattedCollectionName from "@/components/FormattedCollectionName.vue";
 import tinymce from "tinymce/tinymce";
-import { blockTypes, itemTypes } from "@/resources.js";
+import { itemTypes } from "@/resources.js";
 import { API_URL } from "@/resources.js";
 import { formatDistance } from "date-fns";
 
@@ -88,20 +55,6 @@ export default {
     };
   },
   methods: {
-    async newBlock(event, blockType, index = null) {
-      this.isMenuDropdownVisible = false;
-      this.isLoadingNewBlock = true;
-      this.$refs.blockLoadingIndicator.scrollIntoView({
-        behavior: "smooth",
-      });
-      var block_id = await addACollectionBlock(this.item_id, blockType, index);
-      // close the dropdown and scroll to the new block
-      var new_block_el = document.getElementById(block_id);
-      this.isLoadingNewBlock = false;
-      new_block_el.scrollIntoView({
-        behavior: "smooth",
-      });
-    },
     saveCollectionData() {
       // trigger the mce save so that they update the store with their content
       console.log("save clicked!");
@@ -132,7 +85,6 @@ export default {
       return this.$store.state.saved_status_collections[this.collection_id];
     },
     lastModified() {
-      // if (!this.item_data.last_modified) { return "" }
       let item_date = this.collection_data.last_modified;
       const save_date = new Date(item_date);
       return formatDistance(save_date, new Date(), { addSuffix: true });
@@ -147,7 +99,6 @@ export default {
   },
   beforeMount() {
     this.collectionApiUrl = API_URL + "/collections/" + this.collection_id;
-    this.blockTypes = blockTypes; // bind blockTypes as a NON-REACTIVE object to the this context so that it is accessible by the template.
   },
   mounted() {
     // overwrite ctrl-s and cmd-s to save the page
diff --git a/webapp/src/views/EditPage.vue b/webapp/src/views/EditPage.vue
index 461cee8b6..3a3227efd 100644
--- a/webapp/src/views/EditPage.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/views/EditPage.vue
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ import TinyMceInline from "@/components/TinyMceInline";
 import SelectableFileTree from "@/components/SelectableFileTree";
 
 import FileList from "@/components/FileList";
-import Modal from "@/components/Modal";
 import FileSelectModal from "@/components/FileSelectModal";
 import { getItemData, addABlock, saveItem, updateBlockFromServer } from "@/server_fetch_utils";
 import FormattedItemName from "@/components/FormattedItemName";
@@ -235,7 +234,6 @@ export default {
   },
   components: {
     TinyMceInline,
-    Modal,
     SelectableFileTree,
     FileList,
     FileSelectModal,