National Museums Scotland Library

About this Organisation

National Museums Scotland Library covers the same wide range of subjects as the Museum itself, including Scottish history, Northern European and classical archaeology, the history of science and technology, world cultures, natural sciences, Scottish military history and decorative arts and design.

The library holds the institutional archive of the Museum and of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. We also hold the papers of individual antiquarians, naturalists, artists and explorers.

The library is open to the public, no appointment is necessary, but it is helpful if you contact us in advance so that we can have material ready for visitors to consult.

Opening hours are Monday to Friday 10:00 - 17:00, closed on public holidays.

Contacts

Organisation Type

Museum Library or Archive

Location

National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street
Edinburgh
Lothian
EH1 1JF
Entry last updated: May 3rd, 2018

Resources Available

Title Description Type
Scottish Life Archive

The Scottish Life Archive collects, records and preserves documentary and illustrative evidence of Scotland's material culture and social history.

It was established in 1959 and the majority of the collection dates from the 1880s to the present day, but there is some material dating from 1700. The archive includes aspects of Scotland's rural, urban, maritime and industrial communities ... read more

Primary, Secondary, Online/Digitised, Images/Photographs, Maps, Film, Newspaper, Catalogued, Artefacts
Jenners Archive

The Jenners archive consists of a collection of newspaper and magazine articles, fashion plates, adverts and sales catalogues relating to this Edinburgh institution and its history. The adverts in the collection are mainly for fashion items. The archive is in 18 scrapbooks and 4 boxes of loose-leaf material and covers the period from Jenners' beginning in 1838 to the 1980s, with the vast ... read more

Primary, Images/Photographs, Newspaper
Daniel Wilson Scrapbook

Sir Daniel Wilson (1816-1892) was an archaeologist, author, antiquarian and Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland from 1845 – 1853.

Wilson donated his scrapbook (which he referred to as his “Memorials of Auld Reekie”) to the Society. It contains illustrations of Edinburgh and other material, some of which he used in his most famous book “Memorials of Edinburgh in the olden ... read more

Primary, Images/Photographs
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Archive

The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland was founded in 1780 by David Steuart Erskine, the 11th Earl of Buchan (1742-1829) and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1783. The Society is a charitable organisation registered in Scotland whose purpose is set out in the first of its Laws: "...the study of the antiquities and history of Scotland, more especially by means of archaeological research." ... read more

Primary, Images/Photographs, Maps, Newspaper

Please note that links to websites and catalogues are provided by the Organisations listed and not maintained by Scottish Local History Forum.