Explore the historical records of North Lanarkshire 
North Lanarkshire Archives collects and preserves the historical records of North Lanarkshire, covering the areas of Airdrie, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, Motherwell, Shotts, Stepps and Wishaw.
This unique resource is there for you to use – free of charge.
Our collections allow research into the social and industrial history of North Lanarkshire. Visit the archives to find out about your family history, the history of your house or your local area and local government decision making. We also welcome enquiries by telephone, e-mail and letter.
Our reading room is open Monday to Saturday, 12-4pm*. You are welcome to drop in to use our reading room and open-access resources for research and study.
It’s usually best to speak with our staff beforehand in order to get the most out of your visit so we recommend that you book a slot by completing our booking form, calling 01698 274590 or sending an email.
We are situated in North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre, High Road, Motherwell, just a short walk from Motherwell Railway Station.
Please call our Archives and Local Studies team on 01698 274590 for more information.
*Please note that every year in early January, North Lanarkshire Archives closes to the public for a week for essential maintenance and collection management purposes. We use this time to work on our collections to improve our service to researchers throughout the year.
Curatorial Services – You can also access the museum collections which relate to Motherwell and the surrounding area, which are located within the museum store. Curators are available every Wednesday in the Heritage Centre if you have a potential object you would like to donate or if would like to view objects from the collections.
» Planning your visit
Opening hours, location, accessibility.
» Enquiries
Making use of our records in our reading room, by contacting us or online.
» About our collections
Find out about our collections.
» Featured collections
Find out more about some of our collections.
» Donating records
Find out how to donate records.
» Outreach and learning
Find out about our talks, tours, courses and more.
» Introduction to Family History Workshops
Join us for expert help in discovering your past.
» Volunteers and placements
We offer volunteer positions and placements in cooperation with VolunteerNL.
