Treasures of The National Library of Scotland National Library of Scotland

'Treasures of The National Library of Scotland' is a new permanent exhibition at the National Library of Scotland on George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. It provides a unique insight into Scotland’s history, culture and people and its place in the world. At the Library we collect and preserve the memory of the Scottish nation on behalf of the people of Scotland. This exhibition reflects ideas and innovation, creativity and social change from across the centuries. It features objects from early printed books to video installations, and from maps and medieval manuscripts to passports and letters.
This episode features beloved comics, audio from the early 1900s and an often-overlooked heroic explorer. Presenter and journalist Martel Maxwell is an ambassador for Dundee, and it’ll come as no surprise that she’s chosen the archives of one of Scotland’s greatest publishers to discuss. Comedian Jamie MacDonald delves deeper into the audio collection from the exhibition, finding a recording of a fiddler who was nothing short of a superstar in his day. Fellow comedian Jo Caulfield completes the episode, after discovering the diaries of a Scottish explorer, botanist and filmmaker who rivals any of her contemporaries.
Hosted by Julia Sutherland.
For more information, visit https://www.nls.uk/treasures/
 
 

'Treasures of The National Library of Scotland' is a new permanent exhibition at the National Library of Scotland on George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. It provides a unique insight into Scotland’s history, culture and people and its place in the world. At the Library we collect and preserve the memory of the Scottish nation on behalf of the people of Scotland. This exhibition reflects ideas and innovation, creativity and social change from across the centuries. It features objects from early printed books to video installations, and from maps and medieval manuscripts to passports and letters.
This episode features former Makar of Scotland, Liz Lochhead, who can barely hide her excitement after viewing a handwritten letter from The Bard, which features one of his most loved poems. Former Scottish international and current Motherwell player/coach Leanne Crichton has a natural affinity for one of the biggest collections the library has in its archives, and writer and literary salon host Damian Barr revels in his love for the poetry of another former Makar, who also represents a new aspect of the National Library. Hosted by Julia Sutherland.
For more information, visit https://www.nls.uk/treasures/

'Treasures of the National Library of Scotland' is a new permanent exhibition at the National Library of Scotland on George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. It provides a unique insight into Scotland’s history, culture and people and its place in the world. At the Library we collect and preserve the memory of the Scottish nation on behalf of the people of Scotland. This exhibition reflects ideas and innovation, creativity and social change from across the centuries. It features objects from early printed books to video installations, and from maps and medieval manuscripts to passports and letters.
Hosted by Julia Sutherland, this episode features actor and radio host Grant Stott, whose passion for recorded music is represented by the collection of wax cylinders from around 1909; poet Len Pennie discovers inspiration in the one of the first colour films made in Scotland, ‘Where the Bens Stand Sentinel’; and actor and comedian Sanjeev Kohli finds the origins of the information age in an extremely rare and valuable book from the 15th century.
For more information, visit https://www.nls.uk/treasures/

To mark the opening of the ‘Treasures of The National Library of Scotland’, we’ve asked some of Scotland’s real life national treasures to select their favourite items from the exhibition.
Hosted by Julia Sutherland, this series of podcasts takes a deeper dive into the objects, collections and artifacts that each guest finds most interesting. They explore the historical significance of the items to the country, and how that resonates with them personally.
Featuring Grant Stott, Liz Lochhead, Sanjeev Kohli, Jo Caulfield, Damian Barr, Len Pennie, Leanne Crichton, Jamie MacDonald and Martel Maxwell.
For more information, visit https://www.nls.uk/treasures/