Highland Archive and Registration Centre Opens for Business

The new Highland Archive and Registration Centre at Bught Road, Inverness, will open for business on Monday 26 October.

The £10.5 million centre includes an archive conservation unit, a dedicated family history centre, a ceremony suite and modern office accommodation. In addition, specialist atmospheric and environmental controls have been installed to safeguard the storage of parchment, paper and records in other formats allowing the return of archives to the Highlands presently stored in Edinburgh.

The state of the art complex replaces the current archive service provided at Inverness Library, Farraline Park and the registration service at Moray House, Bank Street, Inverness. There is a regular bus service to the centre from the city centre. There is ample free parking.

To accommodate the transfer, the registration service at Moray House will close at lunch time on Thursday 22 October and reopen at Bught Road from 9 am on Monday 26 October.

The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded the project a grant of £4,312,000 and the building was constructed by Morrison Construction, part of the Galliford Try group.

Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Sandy Park said: “This magnificent 21st Century facility is the key to providing a safe and fitting home for our very important archival heritage and I am delighted that it is being completed in the Year of Homecoming.

"Not only will we be able to provide a great facility for people searching their family history and Highland roots but with the moving of the Registration Service from Moray House we will be able to provide much better facilities for the public in greatly enhanced surroundings.”