Disney Pixar’s Brave tells the story of Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald), impetuous daughter of King Fergus (voice of Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (voice of Emma Thompson). Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom, inadvertently unleashing chaos. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it's too late.

The world of Brave inspiration at the Museum

Brave is set in a fictional recreation of the mysterious Scottish Highlands, but many of the objects and locations that appear in the film have their basis in reality.

During visits in 2006 and 2007, Disney Pixar photographed objects from the Museum’s Scottish collections to help design weapons, fabrics and decorations included in the film. Artefacts such as the Lewis Chessmen, one of the most famous archaeological finds in Scottish history, or Pictish stones and horse adornments all inspired items which appear in the final animation. Click on the images below to see larger pictures of some of our objects.

Want to come and see the real objects in the Museum? Start planning your visit here.

Look out over the summer for themed trails at the National Museum of Scotland and other opportunities to explore the real history behind the world of Brave. Sign up for our e-newsletter and follow us on Twitter and Facebook to keep up-to-date with all our activities.