Exhibition
Game On
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National Museum of Scotland
Prices from £9
Our museums
National Museum of Scotland
Open daily, 10:00 – 17:00
Free entry
Chambers Street, Old Town, City of Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
National Museum of Flight
Apr – Oct: Open daily, 10:00 – 17:00
Paid entry, Members free
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5JZ
National Museum of Rural Life
Open daily, 10:00 – 17:00
Paid entry, Members free
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR
National War Museum
Apr – Sep: Open daily, 09:45 – 17:45
Free entry with paid entry to Edinburgh Castle
Castlehill, Old Town, City of Edinburgh, EH1 2NG
What's on
- Exhibition
Maps: Memories from the Second World War
–Through personal stories, photography and memorabilia, this new exhibition charts the creation and use of maps during the Second World War. - Event
Air Raid Tours
24 Jul - 29 Aug 2024, Wed - Fri, 11:00 - 11:20 and 13:00 - 13:20Explore our newly refurbished air raid and blast shelters with our costumed guide. - Event
Gilded Balloon at the Museum
–We are ready to play host to Fringe legends Gilded Balloon once again.Tickets available - Event
Find Out Fridays
6 Sep – 20 Dec 2024, every Friday afternoon during term time 13:30 – 16:00Taking a different theme and activity each week, our Engagement team will share some of the fascinating facts and surprising stories behind our collections.Free - Event
Nature Track Packs
22 Jun – 1 Sep 2024, 10:00 – 17:00Explore more at the National Museum of Rural Life this summer with our Nature Track Packs. - Event
Second World War Satchels
2 Jul – 29 Aug 2024, 10:00 – 17:00Bring the history of the Second World War to life with our summer activity satchels for adults and families.
Discover our collections
- Discover
The story of Dolly the sheep
Dolly the sheep was the first cloned mammal ever to be created from an adult cell. Affectionately named after country music legend Dolly Parton, Dolly caused excitement and controversy among both scientists and the public.Why is Dolly… - Discover
The pioneering women of ornithology
Known as ‘the good ladies' of bird collecting, Dr Evelyn Baxter (1879–1959) and Leonora Rintoul (1878–1953) were born one year, and just a few miles apart, in Fife. Together they devoted their lives to collecting and studying the birds of… - Discover
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots is one of the most famous yet enigmatic figures in Scottish history. Our collection contains a rich selection of objects associated with Mary. Explore her dramatic story and separate out the facts from the myths that… - Discover
A closer look at a Korean scroll painting
In our collection we have six Korean hanging scrolls that all date from the beginning of the 20th century. This was a time of great change that marked the end of the long-running Joseon Dynasty (1392 – 1910) and the beginning of the… - Discover
The Galloway Hoard
The Galloway Hoard is an exceptional treasure, discovered in 2014 by metal detectorists at Balmaghie, Kirkcudbrightshire. It contains over 5kg of silver, gold and other materials dating to c AD 900. The careful way it was buried helped… - Discover
Decoding a portrait of Maharaja Duleep Singh
‘Casualty of War: A Portrait of Maharaja Duleep Singh’ is a painting by renowned British Sikh artists The Singh Twins. As the last sovereign ruler of the Sikh Kingdom, Maharaja Duleep Singh (1838-1893) was deposed from the throne by the…
Our work
Collections departments
Our collections represent astonishing diversity, from fossils showing evidence of the earliest forms of life, to internationally important material from across the world.
Research
Research is crucial to our stewardship of the national collections and to the intellectual development of subject knowledge.
Our impact
Scotland’s National Collection is an important resource and we use it to create wide-reaching cultural, social, educational and economic impact.
Schools
Ignite curiosity, foster critical thinking, and enrich your learning and teaching with the help of our incredible collections.