National Library of Scotland

National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh
Lothian
EH1 1EW
Scotland

Website

www.nls.uk

E-mail

Telephone

General Enquiries

+44 (0)131-226 4531

Fax

General Enquiries

+44 (0)131-622 4803

All information is drawn from or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

Scotland's largest library and the world centre for the study of Scotland and the Scots. Thanks to our UK legal deposit status, we are also a vast reference library.

Venue Type:

Library, Archive

Opening hours

General Reading Room:

Monday - 09.30-20.30
Tuesday - 09.30-20.30
Wednesday - 10.00-20.30
Thursday - 09.30-20.30
Friday - 09.30-20.30
Saturday - 09.30-13.00

Closed: Sunday

Admission charges

Free admission to Reading Rooms, exhibitions and workshops. Some events are chargeable.

Links

7 million printed books, 120,000 volumes of manuscripts, 1.6 million maps, and over 20,000 newspaper and magazine titles.

Collection details

Archaeology, Archives, Industry, Law and Order, Literature, Maritime, Medicine, Music, Natural Sciences, Religion, Science and Technology, Social History, World Cultures

Key artists and exhibits

Robert Burns
Mary Queen of Scots
Edinburgh Calotype Club
Douglas Haig
Winston Churchill
Robert Louis Stevenson
The Murthly Hours
The Auchinleck Manuscript
Modern Scottish Writers
Edinburgh’s Theatre Royal
Map Library - military and civilian

Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

Wha’s like us? A nation of dreams and ideas

Until 18 May 2014 *on now
From 13 December 2013

For centuries, Scots have made a significant impact on the world outside Scotland. From Adam Smith to Dolly the Sheep, Scotland has been – and continues to be – a hotbed of ideas, innovation, creativity, and dreams. To celebrate Homecoming Scotland 2014, curators at NLS have created an alphabet of achievement which presents a small selection of the many ways in which Scottish influence has extended around the globe. Some stories are ‘well-kent’, others barely known at all, but together they contribute to Scotland’s reputation for creativity and pioneering innovation, at home and abroad.

Suitable for

Any age

Admission

Free - no need to book

Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

The Science in Your Science Fiction: How to Get it Right

16 April 2014 6-8pm *on now

The relationship between sci-fi and sci-fact is a complex affair. Works of science fiction have been accused of inaccuracy, scaremongering and damaging the public understanding of science. Conversely, these imagined worlds can also spark debate, challenge ignorance and engage new audiences. Join acclaimed sci-fi author Ken MacLeod for a special writing masterclass looking at how to get your facts right, from initial inspiration to conducting research and pulling it together on paper. The seminar ends with a writing challenge designed to put your new skills into practice.