People Centre hopes to register with tourists

Published on Friday 4 July 2008 10:36

A PROJECT which has opened up one of the city's most majestic buildings has been launched.

The Scotland's People Centre at West Register Street holds 60 million digital images of birth, marriage and death certificates from across the country, dating back to the 19th century.

The 7.5 million project at the General Register Office also holds wills and census records. Some 168 search computers can be used at 10 a day, while a two-hour taster session is also set to be launched next month.

Staff are also on hand to help with searches.

It is hoped the initiative will eventually make the building a top tourist attraction, as well as an opportunity for people from across the world with Scottish ancestry to learn more about their family's past.

And while it was always possible to carry out such research, this project makes it significantly easier and quicker to search through records.

As well as ages and relations, occupations from people's pasts are also on offer.