Map Collections staff are often asked to give talks about maps and related subjects.
We are happy to arrange for group visits to the Maps Reading Room, and staff may be able to speak at external events.
We also offer several public workshops each year, which provide an introduction to the map collection. These are advertised in our newsletters, in our events leaflet and on our What's on page.
We are only able to accommodate a limited number of talks and visits each year, and take bookings on a first come, first served basis.
If you would like to arrange a group visit or a talk, you can get in touch through our online enquiry form. Please contact us as far in advance as possible with your preferred dates and times.
Visits to the Maps Reading Room
Visits to the Maps Reading Room are suitable for small groups (up to 15). Such visits would usually include a short talk on maps, a chance to view a range of items from the collection and an introduction to the Maps Reading Room. They usually last between one and two hours.
The visit can be tailored to the particular interest of the group, or provide a more general introduction to our collection. Recent topics have included:
- Maps for family and local history
- Maps of Stirlingshire
- Maps for landscape design students.
We are happy to welcome local groups and societies, students and academics or professional groups.
Visiting groups need to make their own arrangements for transport and refreshments. There are no private parking spaces at our Causewayside building, due to building works.
Speaking at external events
Map staff can provide talks to groups outside of the National Library of Scotland on map-related topics.
This may be a one-off talk to an interested group or could include participation in larger events such as festivals, conferences or seminars.
We can only accommodate a limited number of requests for external talks each year, and it is helpful to give our staff plenty of notice, and ideally a choice of possible dates.
Public workshops
We offer three public workshops each quarter. You can book places on these workshops online or by contacting our Events team on 0131 623 3274. See the our What's on page for dates and times.
An introduction to maps
NLS is home to one of the largest map collections in the world. Our shelves hold everything from town plans to world atlases, railway maps to star charts. Learn about the range of maps available, and view a selection of highlights from the collection. Includes an introduction to the Maps Reading Room.
Maps for family and local history
Find out how maps can help with your family or local history research. Learn about the range of historical maps held by NLS, and the information they provide. Includes an introduction to the Maps Reading Room.
NLS maps website and digital mapping
The Map images website includes over 50,000 zoomable images of maps, primarily relating to Scotland over the last four centuries. This workshop in our IT training suite will help you to make best use of the Map images website, as well as the related modern digital map resources available at NLS.