- 20/11/1862 to 13/01/1874, Sir William Jardine, Bart., LL.D., F.R.S.
- 13/01/1874 to 08/12/1874, James Starke, F.S.A.Scot
- 08/12/1874 to ??, Dr James Gilchrist, M.D.
- 03/11/1876 to 04/11/1878, Dr James Gilchrist, M.D.
- 04/11/1878 to 06/10/1882, J Gibson Starke, F.S.A. Scot, F.R.C.I.
- 06/10/1882 to 07/12/1885, Dr James Gilchrist, M.D.
- 08/01/1886 to 05/10/1888, Dr Thomas Boyle Grierson, M.D.
- 05/10/1888 to 07/10/1892, Richard Rimmer, F.L.S.
- 07/10/1892 to 16/10/1896, Sir James Crichton-Browne, M.D., LL.D., F.R.S.
- 16/10/1896 to 22/10/1897, Sir Robert Reid, Q.C., (Rt. Hon. Earl Loreburn, P.C., G.C.M.G.)
- 22/10/1897 to 19/10/1899, Rev. Sir Emilius Laurie, Bart.
- 19/10/1899 to 26/10/1900, W.J.H. Maxwell of Munches
- 26/10/1900 to 17/10/1902, Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert E. Maxwell, Bart., LL.D., D.C.L., F.R.S.
- 17/10/1902 to 20/10/1909, G.F. Scott-Elliot, F.R.G.S., F.L.S.
- 20/10/1909 to 18/10/1929, Sir Hugh S. Gladstone, M.A., F.Z.S., F.R.S.E., F.S.A.Scot
- 18/10/1929 to 31/10/1930, Frank Miller
- 31/10/1930 to 27/10/1933, M.H. M'Kerrow
- 27/10/1933 to 25/11/1944, Dr R.C. Reid
- 25/11/1944 to 25/01/1946, Arthur Bryce Duncan
- 25/01/1946 to 21/10/1949, Dr T.R. Burnett, B.Sc., Ph.D.
- 21/10/1949 to 27/10/1950, Prof. W.A.F. Balfour-Browne, M.A., F.R.S.E.
- 27/10/1950 to 09/10/1953, Angus McLean, B.Sc.
- 09/10/1953 to 12/10/1956, David Cunningham, M.A.
- 12/10/1956 to 09/10/1959, Dr James Harper, M.B.E.
- 09/10/1959 to 12/10/1962, Mrs M.D. McLean
- 12/10/1962 to 15/10/1965, Major-General James Scott-Elliot, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O.
- 15/10/1965 to 11/10/1968, J.D. Stuart Martin, B.Sc.
- 11/10/1968 to 08/10/1971, James Robertson, B.Sc., O.B.E., J.P., F.I.C.E.
- 08/10/1971 to 11/10/1974, James Banks, B.Sc.
- 11/10/1974 to 07/10/1977, Alfred E. Truckell, M.B.E., M.A., F.S.A.Scot., F.M.A.
- 07/10/1977 to 10/10/1980, Alexander Robertson, M.A.
- 10/10/1980 to 21/10/1983, Alex Anderson, B.Sc.
- 21/10/1983 to 10/10/1986, Duncan Adamson, M.A.
- 10/10/1986 to 20/10/1989, John Chinnock
- 20/10/1989 to 09/10/1992, John H.D. Gair, M.A., J.P.
- 09/10/1992 to 13/10/1995, Dr J.B. Wilson, M.D.
- 13/10/1995 to 16/10/1998, Kirkpatrick H. Dobie
- 16/10/1998 to 05/10/2001, Patrick Crichton, M.A., F.S.A.Scot.
- 05/10/2001 to 01/10/2005, Mrs Eileen Toolis, B.A.
- 01/10/2005 to 05/10/2007, Dr David Devereux
- 05/10/2007 to 08/10/2010, Mrs Morag Williams
- 08/10/2010 to 11/10/2013, Dr Francis Toolis
- 11/10/2013 to 07/10/2016, Mr Liam Murray
- 07/10/2016 to 04/10/2019, Dr Jeremy Brock
- 04/10/2019 to 06/10/2022, Mr Alastair Gair
- 06/10/2022 to date, Mr David Dutton