Visit the search room
Service update 27th March 2025
Due to being temporarily short staffed we will be closing our public search room for a few weeks. Closure will be from Tuesday 15th April and we will reopen on Tuesday 20th May at 10am. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
Please send any queries to Archives@edinbugh.gov.uk
Access limitations
Due to ongoing issues at our main off site storage facility, we have taken the difficult decision to temporarily cease access to records held at this site. Not all records are held at this site, so these will still be avaialble in be available in our search room. This inculdes core council recprds such as Edinburgh Town Council Minutes and accounts up to 1975, Leith Burgh Records, Edinburgh District Council minutes (full Council only) up to 1988, and other records.
Normal service
Our public search room is normally open by appointment only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 10am and 4.30pm. We always have an archivist available to assist with any questions you may have. We are unlikely to be able to provide access to the search room unless you have booked a space at least a week in advance. This is because the majority of our collections are stored off-site and must be delivered to the search room before visits.
Email us to book a space
You will be assigned a seat for the duration of your visit and we ask that you do not use hand sanitiser during your visit to the search room as this can damage the records. There will be access to hand washing facilities on site.