New exhibition at General Register House

A Georgian Edinburgh landmark will make a rare weekend opening for Edinburgh and East Lothian Doors Open Days on Saturday. (28 September)

General Register House at 2 Princes Street is home to National Records of Scotland. NRS manages the national archive.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the foundation stone being laid on the building, the first purpose-built public records building in the British Isles.

Saturday will also see the launch of a new exhibition to mark the anniversary. It will feature historical documents from the archives telling the story of the building.

General Register House was designed by the renowned Scottish architect Robert Adam and features a stunning central dome. It was funded with £12,000 taken from the proceeds of the forfeited Jacobite estates. On display will be the warrant signed by prime minister George Grenville by command of George III permitting the money to be used for a new archive.

On Saturday there will also be free Scotland’s People taster sessions where beginners can find out how to use the website to research their family history.

National Records of Scotland archivist Jocelyn Grant said:

“For Doors Open Days, we will explore the history of the first proper repository for Scotland’s national archives and why it was needed.

“Among the items on display will be letters from celebrated architect Robert Adam, facsimiles of the 18th century plans for the building and even an 18th century petition to compensate a clerk for keeping a cat to protect the records from rodents.”

After Saturday the exhibition will run Monday to Friday 9am until 4pm until 1 November. Doors Open Days is Scotland’s largest free festival that celebrates spaces old and new.