A multi-level open museum space with balconies and an arched ceiling. There are lots of visitors looking at objects on display.

National Museum of Scotland

With thousands of amazing objects across multiple galleries, the Museum offers you a world of discovery all under one roof

Visitor information for National Museum of Scotland

Admission details:

Free entry

Contact:

Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF

Tel: 0300 123 6789

Opening hours:

Open daily, 10:00 - 17:00

Closed 25 Dec. Open 26 Dec, 12:00 – 17:00. Open 1 Jan, 12:00 – 17:00.

What's on

  1. A black and white photo of a group of people standing in a city square holding balloons. There is a child's pram covered in protest signs and buttons.
    Exhibition

    Cold War Scotland

    –
    Exploring Scotland’s critical position on the frontline of the Cold War, this exhibition tells the stories of the Scots at the centre of this global conflict.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

    More info
  2. A person with a pram is talking to a museum worker, in the grand gallery at the national museum of scotland. The museum worker is at a small stand, with a sign saying 'Engagement team' behind them.
    Event

    Find Out Fridays

    5 Sep 25 - 26 Jun 2026, every Friday afternoon during term time 13:30 – 16:00
    Drop-in Friday fun for families of all ages.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  3. A man and a boy sit on a bench in the grand gallery looking at a large dinosaur picture book. The boy is wearing ear protectors.
    Event

    Relaxed Morning

    5 Oct - 7 Dec 2025, 10:00 - 12:00 (Quiet space open until 12:30)
    Join us for our monthly Relaxed Morning for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the museum.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
See what else is on

Stories from the collections

  1. Twelve bronze objects, including some rounded fittings with concentric circle designs and a rattle pendant. They are all silvery, with some green corrosion on the surface.
    Discover

    What is the Peebles Hoard?

    The Peebles Hoard is a spectacular collection of bronze, leather and wooden material. Dating to the Late Bronze Age (c.1000-800 BCE), it contains several hundred elements from a complex set of objects. A complete sword in a wooden scabbard…
    Keep reading
  2. 4 circular playing pieces against a black background. 2 are made from pottery, whilst 2 are from bone - and on them has been etched a circular pattern.
    Discover

    Excavating medieval Eilean Donan / A’ cladhach Eilean Donnain Meadhan-aoiseil

    Written by Dr Alice Blackwell
    Excavations have revealed fascinating insights into the people who lived and worked at medieval Eilean Donan.
    Keep reading
  3. A close up of a large pearl resting inside an open mussel shell held by two overlapping hands.
    Discover

    Abernethy Pearl: Scotland's largest freshwater pearl

    Written by Dr Rachel Walcott
    In 1967, Bill Abernethy was pearl fishing near the River Tay when he came across his rarest and greatest discovery. At a weight of 43.6 grains, the Abernethy Pearl is the largest freshwater pearl found in Scotland in modern history.
    Keep reading
  4. A faded striped knitted sock with a split toe design and various holes on display on a mount.
    Discover

    The lost sock: An ancient Egyptian textile

    Written by Miriam McLeod
    In 2019 National Museums Scotland opened a redeveloped Egyptian gallery. Many of the objects chosen for the new space had never been on display before. Among them were some fascinating textiles that intimately connect us with the ancient…
    Keep reading
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