The Scottish Life Archive was established in 1959. It aims to
collect, record and preserve documentary and illustrative evidence
of Scotland's material culture and social history. It includes
aspects of Scotland's rural, urban, maritime and industrial
communities, such as housing, work, warfare, leisure, customs and
religion, all arranged by subject.
The majority of the archive collection dates from the 1880s to
the present day, but there is some material dating from 1700.
Whether you want to discover old manuscripts and letters, or trace
your family history, the archive offers a unique insight into all
aspects of Scottish life.
Material collected
The Scottish Life Archive consists of a variety of
material: an extensive photographic collection and other
illustrative material such as drawings, prints, posters, postcards
and video recordings.
It is also home to a unique collection of manuscripts, letters,
diaries, books, leaflets, oral recordings, maps, plans, trade
catalogues, paper ephemera and an extensive newspaper cuttings
collection.
While some film footage is also held, the archive does not aim
to collect film stock. The bulk of the film collections consist of
films made by the East of Scotland College of Agriculture during
the 1940s and 1950s.
Local history and Scottish ethnology
The wide variety of information available within the archive can
be used to research many topics, including local history and
Scottish traditional events, such as the celebrations of Beltane,
the Fire Ball Festival and the New Year's Day Ba' games. Written
and pictorial material is available.
Family history
The archive is also a valuable resource for those researching
family history. For example, searches can be made in the areas of
trading, craft families or estate workers, where some prior
knowledge is known.
Reproduction of images
Photocopies, photographs and slides of material held
in the archive are available. Photographs and documents can be
reproduced on request, however copyright law must be observed.
How to access the archive
The Scottish Life Archive is open to everyone, from students and
academics undertaking research to those with an interest to
discover more about Scottish life in an historical context. You can
access examples our collections online at www.scran.ac.uk - the
award-winning website which gives you access to over 336,500 high
quality images and multimedia files, all copyright cleared for
educational use.
If you are unable to find the material you are looking for
online, you can visit the Scottish Life Archive at the National
Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh. Please contact
Dorothy Kidd on telephone number 0131 247 4076 or email d.kidd@nms.ac.uk to make an
appointment prior to visit. You can also enquire about the
collection in person at the museum information desk.