The Library
The Royal Observatory Edinburgh has one of the most comprehensive collections of astronomical literature in existence
The library includes The Crawford Collection – a magnificent library of astronomical books and manuscripts – and one of the greatest scientific collections in the world
The Crawford Collection was gifted to the nation by James Ludovic Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford, and housed at the then newly built Royal Observatory Edinburgh when it was completed in 1896
Lindsay was a distinguished amateur astronomer who set up a private observatory on the family’s country estate in Aberdeenshire, in the north of Scotland in 1872, where he assembled the collection
Our librarian Karen Moran talks about the collection
ROE Through The Ages
Take a look at how the ROE has changed over the years, from the 1890s to today
Family Friendly Activities
Any aspiring young writers, engineers or scientists in the family? We’ve teamed up with Curved House Kids to write a book about making and using the James Webb Space Telescope to unlock the mysteries of the Universe
You can download it for free, try the activities and write your own story! Suitable for ages 7-11