You won’t be short of museums to visit in Edinburgh, but the biggest and most diverse is the National Museum of Scotland, one of the most interesting places in the city and a must if you are drawn to Scottish history.
The architecture of the National Museum
Look at the building and you’ll see it has two very different parts. The National Museum of Scotland was created in 2006 by merging the Royal Museum and the Museum of Scotland.
The older one occupied the large Victorian building from 1861, whose interior has been completely refurbished. The Museum of Scotland, with its very modern golden sandstone architecture, opened in 1998.
Today they are perfectly connected, and you can move from one to the other almost without noticing. Together they form one of Edinburgh’s most iconic buildings.
A journey through Scotland’s history
Throughout the museum’s collections, you’ll travel through Scotland’s history, from its geological origins to the present day, with an incredibly varied range of objects.
Among them, admire the Monymusk Reliquary, a small box said to have been carried into the Battle of Bannockburn by Robert the Bruce, and Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, created in nearby Roslin.
You’ll also see Pictish stones, carved by Scotland’s early inhabitants, The Maiden, a guillotine used in Edinburgh from the 16th century, and some of the famous Lewis Chessmen, carved from walrus ivory in the 12th century.
How to visit the National Museum of Scotland
In the modern building, you can follow the collections chronologically: start on the lower floors with prehistory and the medieval period, and travel through Scotland’s history as you go up, which helps you keep track in such a large exhibition.
The Victorian building, with the huge glass roof of its Grand Gallery, has galleries dedicated to the Natural World, World Cultures, Art, Design and Fashion, and Science and Technology. See dinosaur skeletons, try your hand at driving a racing car or launching a rocket, and admire objects from all over the globe.
As well as the free permanent collection, there are temporary exhibitions and events, some of which require a ticket.
The rooftop terrace
The museum hides a surprise: a spectacular rooftop terrace on the 7th floor of the modern building. It’s free to visit, and from there you can enjoy a great panorama of the Old Town and Edinburgh Castle: one of the best views in Edinburgh.
The terrace, decorated with plants and sculptures, is a lovely place to relax on a sunny day, and you’ll take home a great photo. The museum also has a café in the Grand Gallery and a brasserie, so there are plenty of places to take a break.
Even if you don’t have time to explore its huge collection in depth, don’t miss at least a quick visit to the National Museum of Scotland. It will surprise you!
Practical information
Opening hours
- Daily
- 10am–5pm
Entry
Free. Donations welcome. Temporary exhibitions usually require a ticket.
Location
The National Museum of Scotland is on Chambers Street, in the Old Town, parallel to the Royal Mile. As a landmark, the Greyfriars Bobby statue and the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard are at the corner of Chambers Street and George IV Bridge.
Get directions to the National Museum of Scotland.