The BGS has a wide range of datasets and wants to increase access to these by publishing as many as possible under OpenGeoscience. OpenGeoscience is a free service where you can view maps and download data, scans, photos and other information. The services available under OpenGeoscience include:
- the BGS Geology Viewer
- access to over a million borehole scans
- the GeoScenic geological photographic archive, where you can search for and download photos
- published paper maps and sections from 1832 to 2014 and printed publications from 1835 to the present
Browse our free data

Map viewers
Data published through map viewers allowing you to reveal more about the ground beneath your feet.

Photographs and images
Open access to a number of our photo collections, including petrological thin sections.

Scanned records
Open access to a number of our digital scan collections, including borehole log scans and published maps.

Web services and APIs
More of our information is accessible through web services and linked data to encourage developers to use and innovate it within their own systems

Data collections
Scans, photos and publications that are stored and managed by the BGS

Publications
Free-to-view publications produced by the BGS and other bodies whose responsibility was later taken over by the survey.

Map data downloads
A number of our datasets are available for you to download onto your system for your own use.
Terms of use
To encourage the use and re-use of this data we have, wherever possible, made the data within OpenGeoscience available under the Open Government Licence, subject to the following acknowledgement accompanying the reproduced BGS materials: ‘Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI [year]’.
The terms of use for every product under OpenGeoscience are displayed clearly at the top of every page.