RCAHMS can provide a huge amount of information to the lifelong learner.

By lifelong learner we mean anyone who has an interest in Scotland's history and wants to find out more. As storehouse for Scotland's past we hold material on subjects as diverse as a tiny croft or an ancient castle; the most dramatic standing stone or the shadows of a structure from the past visible only as cropmarks in a farmer's field. See Exploring Your Heritage for inspiration on what we hold in our collections.

Family group in the
drawing room of
Balmacaan House,
Highland, c.1910.
SC860648

Strathmiglo Parish
Church, Fife. SC397880

Still house, Balmenach
Distillery, Highland.
SC357569

Drawing by John Nicolson
showing excavation of
Acharole Kist, Highland.
SC876673

'What did my area look like in the past and who lived there? What sort of lives did they lead?'
Canmore, our online collections database, is a great place to start your enquiry. Enter in the name of your village, street or building and see what architectural or archaeological records we hold. We could have information about a building or structure, modern or historical photographs, a drawing of your village in a 100 year old sketchbook, an original architect's plan of your house, or an album of photographs. A small proportion of our many archive items are now available to view online as part of our database. From these sources you can begin to get a feel for the history of your area and imagine the lives of past members of your community against this 'backdrop' of images and information.

'How can you help with my family history research?'
We are one of the primary contacts for people carrying out further research into their ancestry in Scotland. Having compiled a family tree, why not find out about our collections, and see if they can help you illustrate the history of your family and your local area.

'What information and archive material do you have that I can use?'
We have over 400,000 photographs and 255,000 drawings available for you to use. Our collections include:

· Historic and modern photographs of houses, villages and towns throughout Scotland
· Aerial photographs from the 1940s to the present day
· Architects' drawings and artists' engravings
· Maps dating back to the mid-19th century
· Ordnance Survey Name Books which detail the origins of the names of buildings, villages and towns on Ordnance Survey maps from the 1850s
· Street directories giving the names and addresses (and often, trades) of residents in Edinburgh, Glasgow and other large Scottish towns dating back to 1837
· Genealogy and historical reference books including books on Scottish family history, clans, and the origins of Scottish names
· Files on architects, craftsmen and designers, including biographies, obituaries and lists of their works
· Historic images showing people in their place of work
· Photographs of mills, distilleries, shipyards, mines and other industrial workplaces
· Over 200 photograph albums containing images from 1870-1930
· Photographs of World War II military installations
· Views of settlements abandoned during the Highland Clearances
· Photographs and information for almost 1,000 of Scotland's historic graveyards - find out more on the Gravestones exhibition highlight.
· Find out more on our collections page.

'How can I make an enquiry?'
As well as searching our database, you can visit us in Edinburgh to view items in our collections and use our library and public search room. Find out how to use us.

Or you can contact us by telephone, fax or email.

'I would like copies of some of your images, what do I do?'
Please feel free to download, for your personal and educational use only, any images you see on this website, or on our Canmore database. Find out about our Conditions of Use.

You can also buy high quality copies of our photographs and other resources, to take home, to give as a present, or for publication and exhibition. Find out how to order images and information and about copyright.

'How can I develop my interest in local history?'
You may find that your initial interest in a subject grows as you find new things to look at and new lines of enquiry to follow. After you have discovered more about your area of interest you might like to share that knowledge with others, and find out what further information they could share with you. Try these links to find out more about local history groups:

Scotland Internet: Scottish History
Gaelic Scotland: Historical Associations
Scotsmart: Local Scottish History
The Scottish Local History Forum

More local history and heritage groups can be found on the Links page. We welcome local history societies who would like to be linked to our pages - please contact us.

'How can my local history group find out more about RCAHMS?'
Our knowledgeable and friendly staff make regular presentations to groups. We can arrange illustrated talks on a wide range of subjects. This could be about your area's archaeology or buildings, or a more general talk about our work. Enquire about hosting a lecture by completing our on-line form.

You can also bring a group of up to 20 people to our public search room and see a presentation by one of our specialist staff. They will show you a selection of archive material and tell you more about our work. Enquire about a visit by completing our on-line form.