Royal Scottish Geographical Society facts for kids
 |
|
| Formation | 4 December 1884 |
|---|---|
| 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 and is a charity that helps people learn.
The main goal of the RSGS is to teach everyone about geography. This means learning about the world, its places, and how people live in them. They want to inspire you to explore and understand our planet better. They also provide true and fair information about geography.
To do this, the RSGS creates a magazine four times a year. They also host talks called "Inspiring People" where famous explorers and experts share their stories. They publish a research journal and other books. In Perth, they have a visitor center run by volunteers. They also show international exhibitions and keep a huge collection of old maps and items from 1884.
The RSGS works with other groups across Scotland and the world. They encourage schools to teach more geography. They make learning materials for teachers and help people think about big topics. These topics include climate change, how cities grow, and how we travel.
Many famous people have been part of the RSGS. Sir Ernest Shackleton, a famous explorer, worked for them before his trips to the Antarctic. Sir Edmund Hillary, who climbed Mount Everest, and Neil Armstrong, the first person on the Moon, have received awards from the RSGS. Other well-known people like Sir David Attenborough and Mary Robinson have also been honored. Even Naomi Klein and the Dalai Lama have written for their magazine!
Since 2009, the RSGS has been in Lord John Murray House in Perth. Their visitor center is right next door in Fair Maid's House. This 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.
Contents
How the RSGS Started
The idea for a geography society in Scotland came from John George Bartholomew. His family ran a famous map-making company in Edinburgh. John felt that maps made in Britain weren't as good as those from other parts of Europe. He also noticed that other countries had more geography societies. So, he decided to start one in Scotland.
John got help from Mrs. A. L. Bruce, who was the daughter of the famous explorer David Livingstone. She loved geography, especially learning about Africa. They also asked Arthur Silva White, who was a traveler and writer. He became the Society's Secretary for the first eight years.
They also got support from Professor James Geikie. He was a geology professor at the University of Edinburgh. Professor Geikie was very interested in improving geography research and teaching. He gladly helped, and in December 1884, the Scottish Geographical Society (S.G.S.) was created.
Many important people from Edinburgh joined the Society. The S.G.S. wanted members from science and universities. This helped them focus on smart and broad goals. They also welcomed people who were just interested in new discoveries.
The Society had many goals. But research and education were more important than just exploring. The first magazine they published said: "...one of the first goals of the Scottish Geographical Society is to improve the study of geography in Scotland. We want to show people how important it is to know geography for business, science, or politics."
The S.G.S. focused on teaching and research. They also collected and shared information from explorations. Edinburgh was the main center for geography in Scotland back then. It had many active scientists who helped shape the Society's goals. Within just one year, the Scottish Geographical Society opened branches in Dundee, Aberdeen, and Glasgow. This was because so many people in those cities wanted to join and help.
Some of the RSGS's early successes include supporting the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (1902–04). They also helped create Scotland's first geography professor job at the University of Edinburgh.
Joining the RSGS
Anyone can become a member of the RSGS, no matter where they live. Being a member gives you cool benefits:
- You can go to about 90 free talks each year. These talks are held by 13 different RSGS groups across Scotland.
- You get four copies of "The Geographer" magazine every year.
- You can read the Society's research journal, "Scottish Geographical Journal," online or get a printed copy.
- You can look at the Society's amazing collections. This includes their library, maps, and photos. You just need to arrange a time with the Curator.
- Other benefits include fun trips, travel deals, and special contests.
Amazing Collections
The RSGS has a huge collection of old and new maps, books, journals, photos, films, and drawings. They also have paintings, science tools, personal papers, and other items. These items are from all over the world, but especially from Scotland. They also have things from places explored by Scots.
These items are a valuable part of Scotland's history. They often have the only records of people, places, and events. For example, they have unique photos from early trips to the North and South Poles. They also have pictures of famous explorers and their diaries. The RSGS also keeps its own history records. There's a very important collection of early maps of Scotland, with the oldest one from 1573.
Many items are kept at the RSGS headquarters in Perth. But most of the books are at the Andersonian Library at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Films, including special footage from the Scottish Antarctic Expedition in 1904, are kept at the Scottish Screen Archive in Glasgow. Volunteers help manage the Society's collections. Members can view them by making an appointment.
Special Roles at RSGS
Since 2014, the RSGS has had people in special "residency" roles. These experts help the Society achieve its goals and share geographical knowledge. All these positions are volunteer roles.
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." This charity takes young people to polar regions to help them become more confident.
Later, a husband and wife team, Luke and Hazel Robertson, became the second Explorers-in-Residence. As part of their work, they traveled to Alaska in 2017. They tried to be the first to trek across the country from south to north. Sadly, their trip ended early. This was because permafrost (frozen ground) was melting due to climate change. This melting stopped them from going forward.
Writers-In-Residence
The first Writer-in-Residence was Hazel Buchan Cameron, a poet and author. She worked with young writers. They created stories and poems inspired by the RSGS collections. Their work was shown in an exhibition at Perth Museum in late 2014.
The second Writer-in-Residence was Jo Woolf. She has brought the stories from RSGS history to life. Her most famous work is her first book, The Great Horizon. This book was published in 2017. It shares 50 inspiring stories from amazing explorers, scientists, and thinkers. All of them have a connection to the Society. Jo Woolf was given an Honorary Fellowship by the Society in 2018.
Special Awards and Medals
The RSGS gives out several medals to people who have done amazing things in geography and exploration.
- Scottish Geographical Medal (used to be 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
In Spanish: Real Sociedad Geográfica Escocesa para niños
- Geography of Scotland
- History of science
- Learned societies
- List of British professional bodies
- List of Royal Societies
