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Scotland's Historic Shops

Traditional shops add colour and character to Scotland's towns and cities. Explore Scotland's historic shops and the people who worked in them in this online exhibition.

  • Exhibition

    Shopping arcades

    Historic shopping arcades showcase Scotland's opulent, retailing past.

    A multi-storey shopping arcade with an iron and glass roof
  • Exhibition

    Symbols, signs and advertising

    Explore the creative world of Scotland's historic shop symbols, signs and advertising.

    A historic shop, part of a large stone building, selling boots
  • Exhibition

    Shopkeepers

    Meet the owners and staff of Scotland's historic shops.

  • Book

    Scotland's Shops Paperback

    Explore the history of shop design in Scotland, discover what materials were used to build Scotland's shops and learn about their conservation.

    An illustrated cover of the Scotland's shops book
  • Publication

    Scottish Traditional Shopfronts

    This free guide looks at the history of Scotland's traditional shopfronts, their architecture and the materials they are made of.

    An illustration of a traditional shopfront with big, glass windows
  • BLOG

    Scotland's shops through the centuries

    See how shopfronts have evolved, from outdoors open market places to elaborate and fanciful department stores and arcades.

    A row of traditional high street shops which are part of a stone building
  • Which Scottish historic shop are you?

    Are you a rural, thatched cottage or a sprawling arcade? Take our fun quiz to find out!

    A historic shopfront with full length windows and gold signage

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General enquiries
0131 668 8600

Contact us

Historic Environment Scotland Head offices:

Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Edinburgh
EH9 1SH
John Sinclair House
16 Bernard Terrace
Edinburgh
EH8 9NX

Visitor app

Our app is your one-stop shop for information on Scotland’s iconic historic attractions.

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Historic Environment Scotland is the lead public body established to investigate, care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment.

© Historic Environment Scotland - Scottish Charity No. SC045925