This year, National Records of Scotland (NRS) marks the 250th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of General Register House (GRH); the first purpose-built public records repository in the British Isles.
It’s fitting that in this celebratory year, we will take part in our first in-person Edinburgh and East Lothian Doors Open Days (DOD) since 2019. We will open the doors of GRH on Saturday 28th September and we’re looking forward to welcoming the public into our beautiful building.
Doors Open Days
The aim of DOD is to give everyone the opportunity to explore some of the most architecturally and culturally significant buildings in Scotland, places which are not usually open to the public or which usually charge an entry fee.
DOD is coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust and it is part of European Heritage Days together with Scottish Archaeology Month which is organised by Archaeology Scotland.
Both events are supported by Historic Environment Scotland. A team of dedicated regional coordinators across Scotland work in partnership with venues and groups to help develop and produce local programmes for their communities.
This year’s theme is Heritage of Routes, Networks and Connections and the Edinburgh and East Lothian DOD has been organised by Ian Sudlow-McKay, the Regional Co-ordinator. It will be the 34th year of DOD in Edinburgh and the sixth year in East Lothian. You can visit the DOD website to find out more about which buildings in Edinburgh and East Lothian will be open this weekend, and what you can do and see.
Activities at General Register House on Saturday 28th September
The building will be open to the public from 10am to 4pm. There will be:
- A special display of historical records to mark the 250th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of GRH, one of Robert Adam’s finest buildings.
- A chance to speak to archivists, conservators and other specialists to answer questions about their role and the role of NRS.
- Free drop-in family history taster sessions in the Scotland’s People Centre for people starting out on their family history journey. Spaces are limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Please ask staff to sign up.
- Tours of GRH and the Archivists’ Garden throughout the day, which will take you behind the scenes to see plants connected with Scottish folklore and history. These tours are now booked up but a waiting list will be available. Please talk to staff to sign up.
More information about NRS can be found in our entry on the DOD website.
Digital Doors Open Days
If you are unable to visit GRH in person, you can visit our digital 3D fly-through animation to find out what the building was like when it was first opened to the public in the eighteenth century. This animation was created by the Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation (a partnership between Historic Environment Scotland and The Glasgow School of Art) based on research on GRH by John McLintock.
You can also find out more about the origins and foundation of GRH and Edinburgh’s New Town by watching talks on the NRS YouTube channel.
Explore the Archivists’ Garden virtually
The open courtyard between GRH and New Register House is called the Archivists’ Garden. It is a unique garden planted with 58 plant species – all connected in some way to Scotland’s collective memory, whether through myth and folklore, heraldry, or association with individual famous Scots.
You can take a walk round the Archivists’ Garden remotely via a 3D digital scan similar to using Google Street view, on a computer by clicking and dragging your mouse, or using the keyboard arrows to move through the virtual space. Or on a mobile device by using your fingers to navigate around the space.
Crown copyright, National Records of Scotland
You can also watch interviews with David Mitchell, former curator of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and Eelco Hooftman, Landscape Architect, where they discuss the creation of garden. All videos are available on the NRS’ YouTube channel.
We hope you enjoy our in-person event at GRH and/or digital resources and connect with us via Facebook and X.
We also encourage you to investigate what else is going on in Edinburgh and East Lothian and beyond via the DOD website and join in and follow the conversation via the hashtags #DoorsOpenDays and #EdinburghDOD.
Tessa Spencer
Archivist
Outreach and Learning
National Records of Scotland
Open Book 
When will General Register House open its doors to the public during the Doors Open Days event?
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