27 September 2025 (10:00 - 15:30)
Founded in 1689, the Advocates Library is widely regarded as the finest working law library in Scotland and one of the most distinguished in the British Isles.
The Library is housed within Parliament House, beside the Court of Session and steps from St Giles' Cathedral on Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile. Its impressive main corridor, designed by renowned Scottish architect William Henry Playfair, was added in the mid-19th century and remains its defining feature.
The Advocates Library serves as the professional home of Scotland’s advocates, who use its collections and spaces to carry out research in support of their work promoting access to justice. As a working library, it is not usually open to the public—making Doors Open Day a rare and exciting opportunity to step inside.

Activities
Guided 30-minute tours of the Advocates Library will run throughout the day, departing from Parliament Hall every half hour between 10:30am and 3:30pm. Each tour covers two floors of the Library and offers a rare glimpse into its historic spaces and collections.
Visitors can also explore three small exhibitions featuring items from the Library’s collections, including one inspired by this year’s Doors Open Day theme: Architectural Heritage – Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future.
An art-focused scavenger hunt will also be available in Parliament Hall, inviting participants to engage with the Faculty’s collection of historic legal portraiture in a creative and thought-provoking way.

Tickets for the guided tours will be available in Parliament Hall on the day and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note: entry to the Advocates Library is only available through a guided tour.
As our guided tours have proven very popular in the past, we recommend arriving early to book a spot.

2025 Theme - Architectural Heritage: Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future
We will be offering three small exhibitions featuring items from the Library’s collections, including one inspired by this year’s Doors Open Day theme: Architectural Heritage – Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future. This display will look at the ways that the Advocates Library estate has evolved since it first opened in the 17th century.
All visitors to Parliament House and the Advocates Library must come through security checks at the entrance.
The Scottish Courts are also participating in DOD.

Address
Advocates Library, Parliament House, Parliament Square, Edinburgh, EH1 1RF