National Museum of Scotland
- Box office 0300 123 6789
- Opening times Daily 10am–5pm.
- Admission Free.
- Website www.nms.ac.uk
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In its landmark building, occupying more than half of Chambers Street, the National Museum of Scotland was formerly two different museums – the Royal Museum, built in 1861, and the more modern Museum of Scotland, completed in 1998. The facilities were unified in April 2008, although there is still a definite thematic separation: the former Royal Museum (complete with its grand Victorian Hall) has a worldwide and natural history focus, while the newer building maintains a distinctly Scottish viewpoint. Between the two is an interactive technology zone, filled with exhibits that form an easy connection between education and fun for children. They can race in a Formula 1 simulation, operate robotic arms and moon buggies, and discover the science behind solar and rock power. Dolly the Sheep also inhabits this space, as does the full-size Wylam Dilly locomotive. At the top of the spherical sandstone tower at the George IV Bridge end of the building is the Tower Restaurant, which has made a name for itself as a fantastic example of fine dining in the capital.
All our collections have tales to tell. See treasures from the edges of history and trace Scotland’s story from fascinating fossils to popular culture. For generations we’ve collected key exhibits from all over Scotland and beyond.
The fully redeveloped National Museum of Scotland opened on Fri 29 Jul 2011, following a major £46.4 million transformation. The museum is Scotland’s treasure house, where you can experience the whole world under one roof. There's brand new entrance hall with information desk, café, shop and cloakroom facilities and 16 new galleries, in which thousands of objects will be displayed for the first time.
Visit the new museum and discover the wonders of life, the universe and everything in it – from science and art to nature and outer space.
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Event times
Sorted by title / date.
Amazing Amber
Amber is beautiful as well as fascinating. It consists of fossilised tree resin, and since resin in liquid form is sticky, and amber is transparent, this means that insects, animals and plant material sometimes get trapped in it and are preserved intact, giving us a glimpse of life millions of years ago. The whole process…
Sat 18 May
Free / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Amazing Amber
Sun 19 May
Free / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Amazing Amber
Mon 20 May
Free / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Amazing Amber
Ilana Halperin: The Library
New work by New York-born artist Halperin, who is interested in the relationship between geological time and human experience. She's the first contemporary artist to receive an Artist's Fellowship at the NMS, and this exhibition features found objects, minerals, artworks created by natural processes and a 1.3-ton…
Fri 24 May
Free / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Ilana Halperin: The Library
Sat 25 May
Free / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Ilana Halperin: The Library
Sun 26 May
Free / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Ilana Halperin: The Library
Mary, Queen of Scots
Was there ever a monarch as unlucky as Mary, Queen of Scots? Her father dies when she's six days old, turning his infant daughter into a political football. Then there are the increasingly inappropriate marriages to increasingly obnoxious husbands; the rebellions, the betrayals, more stabbings than any 24-year-old should…
Fri 28 Jun
£9 (£7.50; under 16s £6; under 12s free) / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Mary, Queen of Scots
Sat 29 Jun
£9 (£7.50; under 16s £6; under 12s free) / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Mary, Queen of Scots
Sun 30 Jun
£9 (£7.50; under 16s £6; under 12s free) / 0300 123 6789
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 10:00 – 17:00 National Museum of Scotland Mary, Queen of Scots
Movements: Brian Eno
Music since recording is a new art form, which bears only as much resemblance to traditional, performed music as cinema does to theatre. What are the special characteristics of this new art? How did it evolve? Where might it be going? Brian Eno shares his thoughts.
Fri 23 Aug
£6 / 0131 473 2000
Part of Movements.
Movements: Cybraphon
Cybraphon, the autonomous and emotional robot band, joins the permanent collection of National Museums Scotland, and Alexander Hayward is joined by Professor Simon Kirby of FOUND, Mark Daniels of New Media Scotland, and Alison Taubman of National Museums Scotland to welcome it to its new home.
Wed 21 Aug
£6 / 0131 473 2000
Part of Movements.
Movements: Devices of Wonder
Deus ex machina is probably one of the oldest dramatic plot devices. Professor of Theatre at Hull University Christopher Baugh explores some of the relationships between technology and performance and the ways in which new technologies are creating new forms of theatre. Chaired by James Robinson of National Museums…
Mon 19 Aug
£6 / 0131 473 2000
Part of Movements.
Movements: From Stein to Steinway
The modern piano is as different from Mozart’s piano as a Mercedes from a horsedrawn carriage. But what effect did changes in the instrument have on the music written for it? Concert pianist Kenneth Hamilton, Professor of Music at Cardiff University, offers insights into three centuries of music at the keyboard. Chaired…
Sat 24 Aug
£6 / 0131 473 2000
Part of Movements.
Movements: Irvine Arditti and Margaret Faultless
The Arditti Quartet’s acclaimed founding violinist, Irvine Arditti and Margaret Faultless, worldrenowned specialist in historical performance practice, discuss string playing techniques past and present in the company of BBC Radio 3 presenter Tom Service.
Tue 27 Aug
£6 / 0131 473 2000
Part of Movements.
Movements: The New Leonardos
Hamish Innes-Brown from the Bionics Institute Melbourne draws on the experience of commissioning music for cochlear implant users to explore how artists utilise and influence technology. Chaired by Stephen Allen of National Museums Scotland.
Thu 22 Aug
£6 / 0131 473 2000
Part of Movements.
Movements: Wind Instruments in Period Performance
Period performance has been famously dubbed ‘the most modern sound around’. Clarinettist and Director of the Royal College of Music Professor Colin Lawson discusses the value of using period instruments today with Alexander Hayward of National Museums Scotland.
Tue 20 Aug
£6 / 0131 473 2000
Part of Movements.
Reviews & features
Preview: the National Museum of Scotland
22 Jul 2011
A peek inside the museum, plus reminiscences from notable Edinburghers and a guide to coming events
The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street is due to reopen this month after a three-year, £46.4 million redevelopment. David Pollock takes an exclusive peak behind closed doors to find out about the new exhibits
The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh
16 Feb 2011
Newly renovated NMS showcases Scottish achievements
A country with as many scientists, inventors and explorers as Scotland needs a place to show off all its achievements – and nowhere does the job better than the newly renovated National Museum
National Museum of Scotland to celebrate start of renovations
24 Apr 2008
The National Museum of Scotland will celebrate the start of the £46.4m Royal Museum Project renovations with a weekend of entertainment. The Red Hot Chilli Pipers will headline the event, which runs from Sat 26–Sun 27 Apr. See www.nms.ac.uk/celebration
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