News | Posted October 7, 2026
New Impact Report Celebrates Recent Society Achievements
A participant at the Kilmartin Rock Art symposium investigating the deer carvings at Dunchraigaig cairn © ScARF
Founded in 1780 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1783, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland is Scotland’s oldest heritage charity and learned society.
For nearly 250 years, the Society has shaped how Scotland’s past is researched, protected and shared. Our early Fellows (members) collected nationally significant artefacts, including the Lewis chess pieces, laying the foundations for the National Museum of Scotland when the Society gifted its collections to the nation in 1851. The Society has not simply witnessed Scottish history; it has helped build the institutions that carry it forward.
Our charitable vision is simple: ‘Scotland’s past is for everyone to research, share, enjoy and protect, at home and abroad.’
Today, the Society is an independent voice for Scotland’s heritage, connecting around 2,800 Fellows worldwide and bringing together a global community of scholars, archaeologists, historians, enthusiasts, heritage organisations, grassroots initiatives and local communities. Alongside supporting our Fellows, we deliver nationally important heritage projects across Scotland on behalf of major public and institutional funders, including Historic Environment Scotland and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
In our Annual Impact Report (June 2025 – May 2026), we look back on just some of the Society’s achievements over the past year. Highlights include over 56,000 downloads of our open access e-books, over £30,000 of grant funding awarded to research projects investigating aspects of Scotland’s past, and over 1,500 total online and in person attendees at our last public events programme.
Every year, we need to raise £1 million to continue this work across communities in Scotland, and we are indebted to our Fellows, funders and sponsors who have supported us over the past 12 months. Together, we have kept Scotland’s past alive and, with your support, will continue to help secure its future.