Scotland’s Heritage Hub: A Gateway to Scotland’s Past
For the past decade, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has been working towards a transformative vision: to create a new home for the Society and a national heritage hub for Scotland.
We have identified an ideal location for this vision to be realised, the B-listed building in Bristo Place, immediately adjacent to the National Museum of Scotland in central Edinburgh. It is a truly exceptional and fitting location, steeped in its own remarkable history and reflecting our close relationship with the Museum throughout the centuries.
This hub will establish a national, independent gateway for heritage, connecting the wider public and the sector in one visible and accessible place. By convening statutory bodies, professionals, researchers, enthusiasts, and grassroots community organisations, it will unlock more effective collaboration, research, learning, knowledge exchange, and shared resources—both within Scotland and across global diaspora networks. Such collaboration will help to address critical challenges facing the sector in Scotland, providing the infrastructure needed to build financial resilience, reduce costs, and deliver greater public benefit.
There is a clear and ambitious vision for the hub: exhibition areas, a podcast studio, research access, a meeting place for Fellows and heritage organisations, and a public-facing welcome area, alongside digital portals for anyone wishing to explore Scotland and their roots. It would become somewhere to arrive—both physically and digitally—as well as a launchpad for further exploration across Scotland.
If you are able to make a commitment, or you know someone who may be interested, please speak to our Head of Fundraising, Deborah Roe FSAScot, by calling 0131 247 4133 or emailing deborah@socantscot.org.
Header Image: Artist’s impression of the Bristo Place Building © Benjamin Tindall Architects | Museum name has been added to visual for clarity of location