National Museums Scotland

Close up of a taxidermy specimen of a grey legged douroucouli, looking directly at the camera. The douroucouli has grey fur, and a round face with a flat nose. It's main features are its eyes, which are red, striking, and looking directly at the camera.

Monkeys: Our Primate Family

Saturday 28 June – Sunday 30 November 2025

Come face to face with the rarest and most endangered primates on Earth.

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Our museums

What's on

  1. Young woman sketching on clipboard in front of wildlife exhibition
    Event

    The Sunday Sketch

    Sun 21 Sep - Sun 23 Nov, 14:00 - 16:00
    Join us to learn how to sketch, taking inspiration from the incredible collections on display in our museum galleries.

    National Museum of Scotland

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  2. Two visitors walking through the entrance of the National Museum of Rural Life.
    Event

    Relaxed Afternoons: National Museum of Rural Life

    Last Tuesday of every month, 14:30 - 17:00
    Join us for our monthly Relaxed Afternoons for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the museum.

    National Museum of Rural Life

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  3. 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

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See what else is on

Discover our 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…
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  2. A bust portrait of a man slightly turned to the left, wearing a dark coat with a white shirt against picturesque landscape in the background.
    Discover

    Get to know Robert Burns through 10 objects

    A variety of objects relating to the life of Scotland's bard can be found in National Museums Scotland's collection. Read on to learn more about Burns' life, legacy, and his depictions in objects and popular culture.
    Keep reading
  3. A white sheep looking to camera, shown from the shoulders up against a grey background
    Discover

    The story of Dolly the sheep

    Dolly the sheep was the first cloned mammal ever to be created from an adult cell. Affectionately named after country music legend Dolly Parton, Dolly caused excitement and controversy among both scientists and the public.Why is Dolly…
    Keep reading
  4. Discover

    Discovering dinosaur bones on a Scottish island

    Dr Elsa Panciroli was walking along the shore of the island of Eigg when something caught her eye. She had stepped on a boulder, but there was something unusual buried in it.Dr Panciroli, a Research Associate at National Museums Scotland,…
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