A Portal to Pages of the Past providing Perspective to the Present

It's very exciting: we're aiming to create an exhibition space in the Leighton Library's Undercroft, to provide for visitors a space to enjoy learning more about the books in this unique collection and also the history of the Library, and the life of its benefactor Robert Leighton and the turbulent times in which he lived.

We aim for the Undercroft to become a vibrant, welcoming and accessible hub combining interpretative print panels, interactive digital screens and a community sharing space – stepping back in time straight from the street to the simmering seventeenth and eighteenth century Scotland. Adapting the undercroft to form part of the library exhibit and visitor attraction would allow visitors who cannot access the first floor to enjoy aspects of the collection and library, for example through an exhibition and 360-degree interactive digital view of the first floor.

The Undercroft can introduce a new dimension to the visitor experience through setting the historical context of the library and its collection and providing engaging, relatable content exploring the key figures involved with the library, a broad overview of the time and of course the books in the collection and the subjects they cover.

Your support would be appreciated to make this happen - please donate via Just Giving using the link button below - and thank you!

The redevelopment of the Undercroft is phase 3 of the Restoration Project for the Leighton Library. We are creating a new visitor facility, engagement space and exhibition area.  As the library room was established on the upper floor, visitors must currently climb an original external forestair for entry and consequently the library is not accessible to those with limited mobility.  The Undercroft will be fully accessible at ground level, enabling anyone to engage with the collection.  

The proposed works include:

• The re-instatement of the second street doorway as the principal entrance to enable level access.
• The creation of a new exhibition space (software-driven interpretation panels, display cases etc).
• Temporary exhibitions to be held each year alongside the permanent interpretation in the Undercroft, with a second temporary exhibit in the library room
• Screen and seating for presentations, video and interactive 360-degree view of the library above.
• A welcome desk with information about the Library and the local area
• Disabled access