The Paisley Naturalists' Society was formed on 22nd March 1892. One of the first tasks of the society was to make an application to the Paisley Museum Committee for a use of a room in the museum in which to hold their meetings - a meeting place that the present Paisley Museum Natural History Society still uses today.

The first paper was read at the meeting of ther 26th April 1892 'Economic Uses of Entomology, as applied to Agriculture, Horticulture, etc' by Mr John Dunsmore, local entomologist.

During the latter half of the first year other important local naturalists contirbuted to the lecture series and consequently other important naturalists both from wothin the society and from throughout Scotland attended meetings to give lectures.

One of the main goals of the Paisley Naturalists' Society was to identify, classify and record the wildlife and geology of Renfrewshire. The Society concentrated on collecting specimens and producing lists for all groups of wildlife to be used by all naturalists working in the area. Thsi work is recorded in six volumes of Transactions of the Paisley Naturalists' Society published 1914, 1929, 1934, 1942, 1954 and 1960.

In 1967 the Paisley Naturalists' Society made great changes to its constitution and it was decided that it should join with other natural history societies in the Renfrewshire area under a new name Renfrewshire Natural History Society.

However in the same year the then Director of the Museum called a public meeting and announced that he had been instructed by the Museum Committee of the Town Council to call a meeting to extablish a nature club bearing the name of Paisley. Paisley Museum Natural History Club was inaugurated on the 26th January 1968. This society ahs gone through two name changes so far, first to Paisley Museum Natural History Society and more recently to Paisley Natural History Society. its current name.

The society now runs a full programme of talks and outings. The evening talks take place on the first Thursday of every month from September to April in Paisley Museum and excursions are organised through the summer months around Renfrewshire and further afield.