National Library of Scotland

The National Library of Scotland is a major repository in Edinburgh's Old Town holding over 34 million items spanning books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and film across multiple collections. The building features reading rooms and exhibition spaces where visitors can access and study these materials.

The institution originated from the Advocates Library established in 1689 and gained national library status through legislation in 1925. This transformation made it Scotland's official keeper of written heritage.

The institution safeguards Scottish literary heritage through its extensive collections of works in Gaelic and other regional languages. Visitors can observe how these materials are valued as expressions of Scotland's cultural identity.

The building on George IV Bridge is easily reached on foot and has reading rooms accessible to casual visitors without prior registration. You can search resources online through a digital catalog to plan what you want to explore during your visit.

The cartography collection holding two million maps, including the Bartholomew Archive, ranks among the world's largest and often goes unnoticed by visitors. This exceptional assembly spans centuries of mapping and geographic discovery.

Location: Edinburgh

Inception: 1925

Part of: Scottish Government

Address: George IV Bridge

Phone: +441316233700

Email: manuscripts@nls.uk

Website: https://nls.uk

GPS coordinates: 55.94870,-3.19173

Latest update: December 7, 2025 09:28