Facial estimate of LL11, a Pictish woman from Lundin Links, Fife (© Craniofacial identification and digital imaging specialist Dr Tobias Houlton)

At the Society, we believe that Scotland’s past is for everyone to research, share, enjoy and protect, home and abroad.

Thanks to the support of our Fellows and partners, our annual public events programme remains a key activity in realising this vision.

Our new hybrid programme, running from October 2026 to April 2027, features lectures, a panel discussion and a debate. These free events are open to all and will be of interest to anyone curious about Scotland’s past.

15 October 2026 – History in Our Bones: Uncovering Stories of Disability Through Time

A joint event with the Scottish History Society 

Through Pictish case studies, Professor Alison Beach explores how people with physical impairments lived, worked, and participated in communities and restores disabled people as participants in the social worlds of the past.

30 November 2026 – ‘Sumptuous’ Rosslyn Chapel: Pious Experience in Late Medieval Scotland

Dr Lizzie Swarbrick FSAScot unpicks the legends of Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian to discuss how Rosslyn and other pre-Reformation Scottish churches manipulated people’s senses to induce profound spiritual experiences.

10 December 2026 – Darkland Tales: Crafting Scottish Fiction from Historical Fact

To mark the National Year of Reading, join Val McDermid, Graeme Macrae Burnet, Jo Sharp and Jamie Crawford at this writers panel to discover how authors interrogate historical and archaeological sources to resurrect the past, while navigating the ethical complexities inherent in their work.

14 January 2027 – Let It Go? Curated Decay & Alternative Futures for the Historic Environment

New this year, we are thrilled to be hosting a debate to tackle one of the most pressing dilemmas facing the heritage sector in the 21st century: should we try to save everything? If not, how do we manage the consequences? Chaired by Professor Ian Baxter FSAScot, a panel of experts will share their thoughts, followed by an open debate with audience Q&A.

11 February 2027 – The Smell of Scotland: History, Heritage and Practice

From the sweet scent of yellow gorse to the smoky air of industrial Glasgow, Dr Xuelei Huang guides us through Scotland’s ‘smellscapes’ to argue how they do more than just trigger memory—they shape history.

11 March 2027 – Visible Invisibles: Women in Roman Archaeology

Female scholars have played a key role in furthering our understanding of Roman archaeology but their contributions have often not been given due recognition. Dr Rebecca Jones FSAScot and Dr Tatiana Ivleva will share how past female scholars have shaped the discipline in which archaeologists work today.

15 April 2027 – Prehistoric Britain: A Decade of Archaeogenetic Research

Dr Tom Booth discusses the ever-expanding capabilities of archaeogenetic research and highlights how archaeogenetics is producing previously undreamt-of insights into the prehistoric past.

Most lectures will be preceded by a ten-minute talk to support and platform researchers early in their career. Each event ends with a hybrid Q&A session, followed by a drinks reception for those attending in person.  

All events take place in the main hall of Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL, and are livestreamed via Zoom.  

Lectures, panel discussions and debates are recorded and uploaded to the Society’s YouTube channel and Spotify account shortly after. 

To find out more and book your place, visit Eventbrite.

Register for Free Tickets

Exclusive Fellows’ Events

Throughout the year, Fellows of the Society are also invited to free in-person tours and online talks on a range of topics such as disability histories, early megalithic monuments, and researching family history.  

These provide Fellows with opportunities to meet and learn about areas of shared interests and research into Scotland’s past. 

If you are already a Fellow, keep up to date by checking our events webpage, e-newsletters and emails. If you are not yet a Fellow, apply before the next deadline on 30 September 2026 to help support the Society achieve its aims and charitable objectives and learn about Scotland from the prehistoric to the present day while enjoying a range of benefits.