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Royal Scottish Geographical Society
Royal Scottish Geographical Society Logo.png
Formation 4 December 1884 (1884-12-04)
Location
Membership
 2,700 (October 2019)
President
 Iain Simpson Stewart
Chief Executive
 Mike Robinson

The Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) is a special group based in Perth, Scotland. It was started in 1884. This group is a charity that helps people learn more about geography all over the world. They want to inspire everyone to explore and understand the planet we live on. They also provide true and fair information about geography.

The RSGS does many things to reach its goals. They publish a magazine four times a year. They also have a popular series of talks called "Inspiring People." They publish a research journal and other books. From their main office in Perth, they have a visitor center run by volunteers. They also host international exhibitions and keep a huge collection of old maps and items from 1884.

The society also works with other groups across Scotland and beyond. They encourage schools to teach geography. They create learning materials for teachers. They help people think about important topics like climate change, how cities grow, and how we travel.

Many famous people have been part of the RSGS. Sir Ernest Shackleton, a famous Antarctic explorer, worked as the society's secretary for a short time. Other well-known people like Sir Edmund Hillary, Neil Armstrong, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Sir David Attenborough, and Karen Darke have received special awards from the RSGS. Even James Cameron, a famous movie director, and the Dalai Lama have written for their magazine.

Since 2009, the RSGS has been located in Lord John Murray House in Perth. Their visitor center is right next door in the Fair Maid's House, which is the oldest non-religious building in the city. Before this, the society was at the University of Strathclyde from 1994 to 2008. Even earlier, it was in Edinburgh.

History of the RSGS

The idea for a national geography society in Scotland came from John George Bartholomew. His family owned a famous map-making company in Edinburgh. John Bartholomew thought that maps made in Britain were not very good. He also noticed that there were fewer geography societies in Britain compared to other parts of Europe, especially Germany. So, he decided to start one for Scotland.

John Bartholomew got help from Mrs. A. L. Bruce, who was the daughter of the famous explorer David Livingstone. She loved geography, especially about Africa. They also asked Arthur Silva White, who was an experienced traveler and writer, to help. He became the Society's Secretary for the first eight years. They also got support from Professor James Geikie, a geology professor at the University of Edinburgh. Professor Geikie was very interested in improving geography research and teaching. He gladly supported the project.

In December 1884, The Scottish Geographical Society (S.G.S.) was officially started. They invited many important people from Edinburgh to join. The Society wanted members from science and academic backgrounds. This helped them focus on intellectual goals. They also welcomed people from the general public who were simply interested in new discoveries.

The main goals of the Society were varied. They focused less on exploration and more on research and education. The first issue of their magazine, the Scottish Geographical Magazine, said that one of their main aims was to "advance the study of geography in Scotland." They wanted to show everyone how important a good knowledge of geography is for business, science, and politics.

The SGS focused on teaching and research. They also gathered and shared information from explorations and discoveries. The Society was founded at a time when science was very important in Scotland, especially in Edinburgh. Many university professors were members, so education and research were key parts of the Society's work.

At that time, Edinburgh was the center of geography in Scotland. It had a lively science community that helped create a more scientific way of studying geography. Within a year of starting, the Scottish Geographical Society opened branches in Dundee, Aberdeen, and Glasgow. This showed how much local interest there was in their work.

Some of the RSGS's early successes include supporting the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (1902–04). They also helped create Scotland's first university professor position in Geography at the University of Edinburgh.

Joining the RSGS

Anyone can become a member of the RSGS, no matter where they live. Being a member comes with many benefits:

  • You can attend about 90 illustrated talks each year for free. These talks happen at 13 RSGS Local Groups across Scotland.
  • You receive four copies of The Geographer magazine every year.
  • You get free online or printed access to the Society's academic journal, the Scottish Geographical Journal.
  • You can use the Society's research collections. This includes their library, where you can borrow books. You can also look at their map and photograph collections by making an appointment.
  • Other benefits include special trips, travel deals, and competitions.

RSGS Collections

The Society has a huge collection of old and new maps, atlases, books, journals, photos, films, drawings, paintings, science tools, personal papers, and other items. These items are from all over the world, but especially from Scotland. They also cover many areas of the world that Scots explored and settled. These collections are a valuable part of Scotland's history. They often have the only records of people, places, and events. This includes unique photos from early polar explorations, pictures by and of famous explorers, and expedition diaries. The RSGS also keeps its own historical records.

There is a very important collection of early maps of Scotland. The oldest map is from 1573. Many items are kept at the RSGS headquarters in Perth. However, most of the books are managed by the Andersonian Library at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Films, including rare footage from the Scottish Antarctic Expedition in 1904, are stored at the Scottish Screen Archive in Glasgow. Volunteers manage the Society's collections. Members can view them by making an appointment.

Special Roles at RSGS

Since 2014, the RSGS has had special people in residence. These experts help the society achieve its goals and create geographical content. All these positions are voluntary.

Explorers-In-Residence

The first Explorer-in-Residence was Craig Mathieson. He is a Scottish explorer who has broken records. In 2013, he started The Polar Academy, a charity that takes young people to polar regions to help them become more confident. More recently, a husband and wife team, Luke and Hazel Robertson, became the second Explorers-in-Residence. In 2017, they traveled to Alaska. They tried to be the first to trek across the country from south to north. Their trip ended early because melting permafrost (permanently frozen ground) due to climate change stopped them.

Writers-In-Residence

The first Writer-in-Residence was poet and author Hazel Buchan Cameron. She worked with young writers. They created stories and poems inspired by the RSGS collections. This work was shown in an exhibition at Perth Museum in late 2014. The second Writer-in-Residence was Jo Woolf. She has brought stories from RSGS history to life. Her first book, The Great Horizon, is a great example. Published in 2017, this book shares 50 inspiring stories from amazing explorers, scientists, and thinkers connected to the Society. Jo Woolf was given an Honorary Fellowship by the Society in 2018.

Honorary Fellows

An Honorary Fellowship is a special award given by the RSGS. It started in 1888. It recognizes people who have done great things for the Society and for geography. Honorary Fellows can use the letters FRSGS after their names.

Some notable Honorary Fellows include:

Presidents of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society

The RSGS has had many important people serve as its President over the years. Here are a few:

Medals and Awards

The Society gives out several medals to people who have made amazing contributions to geography and exploration.

  • Scottish Geographical Medal (also known as the RSGS Gold Medal)
  • Livingstone Medal
  • President's Medal
  • Mungo Park Medal
  • Coppock Research Medal
  • Geddes Environment Medal
  • Shackleton Medal
  • W.S. Bruce Medal
  • Joy Tivy Education Medal
  • The Newbigin Prize
  • Bartholomew Globe

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Real Sociedad Geográfica Escocesa para niños

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