John Gray Center is the place where East Lothian Council’s Archaeology, Archive and Local History Services, Museum and Haddington’s branch library come together. This place is the place to find all the history related to East Lothian with its abundant resources. East Lothian Council created this center to inspire people to explore and understand their history, community, family and environment. It was a long standing commitment from the council which has now come to fruition and has been helping people find their roots and complete history projects. John Gray Center opened in March of 2012 and was funded by East Lothian Council, Historic Scotland and Heritage Lottery Fund. This museum along with the Coastal Community Museum and other museums have gone a long way in putting light on the East Lothian as well as Scottish History.
In the John Gray Center, you can explore a huge collection of records, maps, images and so much more content to find the information you are looking for. Individuals are also encouraged to share their own stories which can be verified and added to the archives to further improve the records. The best part about John Gray Center is that all the information is also available on their website and the officials are very proactive in responding to queries from public.
Collections At John Gray Center
John Gary Center has a huge collection of historical artifacts, which includes photos, maps, postcards, minute books, memorabilia, environment records, manuscripts and much more. Some of the original source material in the collection goes back to almost 700 years. The Archives department is focused on adding up to the collections and welcomes physical as well as digital deposits from individuals. The centre assists the enquirers using Old Parish Registers, Valuation Rolls, Sasines and Newspapers, Censuses and monumental inscriptions.
You can search for what you are looking for on the official website of the center and then visit the center to see the object in person in the Local History Centre, Archive search room or the museum. The centre also takes up requests for finding information and emailing them and they do it for a fee to cover up the costs.
Learning At John Gray Center
John Gray Center is dedicated towards encouraging the younger generation to explore their history. In order to make the process easy and facilitate the information flow, the Center has created a learning center which has various programs designed for schools, interactive workshops and interactive sessions. The center has resources for all age groups and interest types and is an ideal place for teachers and students, researchers and adult learners.
The center has also put in efforts to create community and outreach projects that invite individuals to get involved with the working of the Center. John Gray Center also has a calendar of activities, workshops and other events which further open the channels of communication and learning. You can check out the center’s official website for updates on the upcoming events.
Learning Activities At John Gray
- Exhibitions
- Talks, Events and Courses
- The Great Museum Challenge
- School Programme
- Projects
- Volunteering
- Workshops
Timings
John Grey Centre has different opening and closing hours for the Library, Museum and the Archive and Local History. Follow this link for detailed time table.