The RSGS is a repository of some of the greatest geographical stories of the past 150 years. Many of these stories are built around items in our collection.
Early Maps of Scotland
The RSGS collection includes a great many early maps of Scotland, helping to document changes in the towns and landscapes, and in cartography. We feature just a few examples here.
East Coast of Scotland, 1589
East Coast of Scotland, 1647
Scotland, 1689
Clyde, 1756
Edinburgh, 1773 (Craig)
Edinburgh, 1773 (Faden)
West Coast of Scotland, 1781
Perth, 1792
Perthshire, 1824
Perth, 1846
The Cuthbert Collection
Margaret Wilkes FRSGS shares her experiences of examining a stunning collection of early maps of Scotland that were donated by William Cuthbert of Perth…Read More
Construction of the Forth Rail Bridge
Philip Phillips documented various stages in the construction of the remarkable Forth Rail Bridge, in a book published in 1890 with some superb photographs…Read More
St Kilda
Dr Jeff Stone FRSGS writes about the RSGS’s collection of St Kilda glass lantern slides depicting scenes of pre-evacuation life on the Hebridean island…Read More
Events in Honour of HM Stanley, June 1890
In June 1890, Henry Morton Stanley visited Scotland to attend various RSGS and other civic events…Read More
The Route of the Fram Expedition
In July 1893, Fridtjof Nansen left Norway aboard the Fram, bound for the North Pole…Read More
Dr Nansen’s Visit to Scotland, February 1897
In February 1897, Fridtjof Nansen visited Scotland to address RSGS audiences about his recent polar expedition…Read More
William Gordon Burn-Murdoch
Geoff Swinney ARSGS FSA Scot gives an insight into the life and career of William Gordon Burn-Murdoch: artist, bagpiper, whaler, hunter, Scottish nationalist and writer…Read More
Anna Hanlon
Dr David Munro describes his introduction to the meticulously documented travel diaries, scrapbooks and 35mm slides of Anna Hanlon, who travelled to 150 countries between 1943 and 1996…Read More