National Museum of Antiquities
1858-1995
1780 - The Society of Antiquaries of
Scotland founded
1781 - The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
establishes museum in Cowgate, Edinburgh
1826 - The Antiquaries’ collections move
to Royal Institution, the Mound
1858 - National Museum of Antiquities of
Scotland founded
1891 - National Museum of Antiquities of
Scotland moves to Finlay Building, Queen Street
1985 - National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1984
amalgamates NMAS with Royal Scottish Museum
1995 - National Museum of Antiquities
closes
National Museums Scotland
1855 to present
1855 - Act of Parliament establishes funding
for Industrial Museum of Scotland. George Wilson appointed as
first director of the Industrial Museum
1861 - Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, lays
foundation stone of Industrial Museum of Scotland in Chambers
Street, Edinburgh
1862 - Industrial Museum, under Director Thomas
C Archer, opens in Argyll Square, Edinburgh
1864 - Industrial Museum renamed the Edinburgh
Museum of Science and Art
1865 - Natural History collections move from
Edinburgh University to Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art
1866 - Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art
opens in Chambers Street in a new building, designed by architect,
Francis Fowke
1904 - Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art
renamed Royal Scottish Museum
1930 - Scottish United Services Museum founded,
housed in Edinburgh Castle
1970 - Royal Scottish Museum incorporates the
Scottish United Services Museum
1975 - Museum of Flight established at East
Fortune Airfield in East Lothian
1982 - Shambellie House Museum of Costume opens
at New Abbey, Dumfries
1982 - Scottish Agricultural Museum (forerunner
of National Museum of Rural Life) opens at Ingliston
1985 - National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985
establishes National Museums of Scotland
1995 - Granton Centre, now National Museums
Collection Centre, a research, storage and conservation facility,
which has been occupied since 1974, is transferred to National
Museums of Scotland.
1995 - Royal Scottish Museum renamed Royal
Museum
1998 - The Museum of Scotland opens in a new
building in Chambers Street, designed by architects Benson and
Forsyth
2000 - The refurbished Scottish United Services
Museum opens as the National War Museum of Scotland
2001 - Museum of Scottish Country Life, now
National Museum of Rural Life, opens at Kittochside, East
Kilbride
2006 - Renamed National Museums Scotland
2006-11 - The Royal Museum Project renovates
most of the Victorian building in Chambers Street and creates 16
new galleries in the National Museum of Scotland.