National Records of Scotland

Preserving the past, Recording the present, Informing the future

Historical and Digital Archive Search Rooms

We're launching our new website in early December
All content from the current site will be available in our web archive

Historical and Digital Archive Search Rooms

The Historical Search Room is a dedicated space for readers consulting original records. Access to digital resources (other than the records on ScotlandsPeople) is provided in the Digital Archive Search Room. Staff will direct you to the Digital Archive Search Room if you wish to consult digitised records. 

Opening hours

The Historical and Digital Archive Search Rooms are open 9:00-16:00, Monday to Friday. Please note the Public Holiday closure information on our Visit Us page.  

Access

The search rooms are located on the first floor, accessed via the front door of General Register House. The accessible entrance is via the Archivists’ Garden to the west side of General Register House. 

If you require assistance to evacuate the building in the event of an emergency, please notify a member of search room staff upon your arrival. You will be informed of the assisted emergency evacuation procedure for the search rooms.

In the interests of the safety and security of our staff and records, CCTV is in operation in the Historical Search Room. 

Parking

The Historical Search Room and Digital Archive Search Room have no parking facilities available on site for researchers. There is on street disabled parking available nearby in West Register Street. 

Maps and Plans Search Room

Please note that original Maps and Plans cannot be produced in the Historical Search Room. Wherever possible we try to digitise plans so that images can be viewed in the Digital Archive Search Room; however where this is not possible you may need to visit our separate Maps and Plans Search Room.

Opening hours

The Maps and Plans Search Room is located at Thomas Thomson House in Sighthill. It is open 09:30-12:30 and 13:30-16:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, by appointment only.  

If you wish to view Maps or Plans, please supply a list of reference numbers via [email protected]. Maps and Plans cannot be requested via the online catalogue.  For further guidance on research using these types of records, please see the Maps and Plans research guide.
 

Before you visit

All visitors to the Historical, Digital Archive and Maps and Plans Search Rooms are required to obtain a Reader’s Ticket before viewing any records.  Please see the Reader’s Ticket page for more information.

The information on the pages below collectively form NRS's Conditions of Access and must be adhered to in order to use the Historical, Digital Archive and Maps and Plans Search Room services. Please read this information prior to attending the search rooms: