The Scottish Academy was formed in 1835 by a group of contemporary artists. In 1838 it was granted a royal charter and became the Royal Scottish Academy.

The Royal Scottish Academy Building which is situated in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland was designed by William Henry Playfair during the 19th Century. Along with the adjacent National Gallery of Scotland, their neo-classical design helped transform Edinburgh in to a modern day "Athens of the North"

The building, along with the National Gallery of Scotland was remodelled in 1912 by William Thomas Oldrieve .