A child sits looking at a picture book.
Free
Events

Family Storytelling Day

Sat 24 Oct, 10:30 - 16:30

National Museum of Scotland

Free, drop-in

About Family Storytelling Day

Join us for a day of free fun for families, including storytelling, crafts and object encounters. 

Get to know birds, beasts and beasties of all kinds at the National Museum of Scotland this October half term.

Settle in for a story with our friends from the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, get creative at our craft tables, or get up close to some of the incredible animals in our collections.

Full programme to be announced in October. 

Activities on the day

Sign up for storytelling sessions on the day at the Family Storytelling Day desk in the Grand Gallery. 

Woodland stories

Venture into the woods with storyteller Claire McNicol. Hear about woodlands and forests and the birds and beasts who live among the trees.

Stories under the sea

Dive under the sea with storyteller Janis Mackay. Enjoy stories about real and mythical sea creatures in tales of tides, weather and waves. 

Macastory Safari Walk

Go wild with Macastory on a Safari Walk around the museum. What will you discover?

Wee Folk stories

Meet the wee-est of the Wee Folk with storyteller Gauri Raje and director Patrick Chadwick. See magical footage of the animals and insects who have lived here for millions of years. 

Our storytellers

Claire McNicol

Claire is an experienced storyteller and singer from Ulster. Through storytelling, she works to build confidence in children’s creative abilities to sing, dance, play and tell stories. 

Janis Mackay

Janis Mackay has been a professional storyteller for over 20 years, with a particular interest in the Scottish oral storytelling tradition. 

Macastory

Ron Fairweather and Fergus McNicol have worked together as Macastory since 2003, delivering storytelling sessions in schools, libraries, and festivals all around Scotland.  

Gauri Raje

Born in India, Gauri Raje is a storyteller who works with people from multilingual, multicultural and disadvantaged backgrounds. She is fascinated by the power of myths and stories to hold community memories. 

Patrick Chadwick

British-French director, cinematographer and editor, Patrick Chadwick has won multiple awards for his directing work. His work focuses on themes such as the climate crisis, connection to place and environmental activism. 

Accessibility and facilities

We want everyone who comes to our museums to enjoy their time with us and make the most of their visit.  

Visit our accessibility page for general access information for the National Museum of Scotland. 

Get in touch

If you have any questions about this event, get in touch by: 

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