Visiting FAQs

Book tickets in advance for the National Museum of Rural Life.

Advanced booking gives you a faster entry to the site and allows us to manage the flow of visitors through our doors each day. Book here.

You can also visit the museum without pre-booking and pay on entry (card payments only).

Please book a timed entry ticket online for every member of your group in advance of your visit. Once you have booked, you will be sent an email confirmation and order number to bring with you when you visit. 

Please note that National Museum of Rural Life Annual Pass holders and National Trust for Scotland Members also need to book a timed entry ticket online in advance of their visit. Once you have booked, you will be sent an email confirmation and order number to bring with you when you visit. Please also bring your Annual Pass ticket/original Annual Pass email confirmation or NTS Membership card with you. Without this, you will not be able to access the site and will be asked to pay the normal admission price and this will not be refunded. 

If you require access assistance with ticketing, please call 0300 123 6789 and a member of staff will be able to help you.

We are releasing timed entry tickets in monthly blocks so that we can manage the number of bookings carefully. Learn more about timed entry tickets for the National Museum of Rural Life.

You are able to book up to ten tickets in one transaction. Please also make sure you have booked a ticket for every member of your group, including children under five years of age.

All members of your party must arrive at the same time to be granted entry.

Yes, all visitors, including National Museums Scotland Members, need to book a timed entry ticket online in advance of their visit. 

National Museums Scotland Members receive priority booking two days before the general public and an allocation of Member tickets for all dates. Just enter your Membership number in the 'promo code' box on the booking page to access the allocation.

Once you have booked, you will be sent an email confirmation and order number to bring with you when you visit. Please also bring your National Museums Scotland Membership card.

If the Member ticket allocation sells out, National Museums Scotland Members are able to book free timed entry tickets from the remaining allocation. Instructions for how to do so can be found on our booking page.

Please book your free timed entry ticket online before you attend. Enter your Corporate Member or Patron number in the 'promo code' box on the booking page to access the Member ticket allocation.

Yes, all visitors, including Annual Pass holders, need to book a timed entry ticket online in advance of their visit.

Please select the 'Annual Pass holder' ticket option on the booking page. Once you have booked, you will be sent an email confirmation and order number to bring with you when you visit. Please also bring your Annual Pass ticket, or original Annual Pass email confirmation, with you. Without this, you will not be able to access the site and will be asked to pay the normal admission price and this will not be refunded.

If you have an Annual Pass purchased before 25 December 2020, we will extend it to compensate for the period of time we have been closed.

Yes, all visitors, including National Trust for Scotland Members, need to book a timed entry ticket online in advance of their visit.

Please select the 'National Trust for Scotland Member' ticket option on the booking page.

Once you have booked, you will be sent an email confirmation and order number to bring with you when you visit. Please also bring your NTS Membership card. Without this, you will not be able to access the site and will be asked to pay the normal admission price and this will not be refunded.

Yes. All visitors, including carers, need to book a timed entry ticket online in advance of their visit.

National Museums Scotland have a non-refundable and non-transferable ticketing policy. Customers will only be provided with a refund if the event or activity has been cancelled by the museum, or museum closure has taken place due to circumstances outwith our control. If you have any questions about our refund policy please email info@nms.ac.uk or see our full Ticketing Terms & Conditions.

Please check your junk or spam folder. If you still cannot find your confirmation, please email info@nms.ac.uk with the details of your booking and we will resend your booking confirmation to you. You can also view and print your tickets from your Eventbrite account.

National Museums Scotland, like most organisations across the cultural sector, has been financially hit by Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown.

We have been closed for five months and as a consequence have been unable to generate income through our commercial activities. We therefore need to absorb the VAT reduction to help offset our financial losses.

Advanced booking gives you a faster entry to these sites and allows us to manage the flow of visitors through our doors each day. Book here.

You can also visit the museum without pre-booking and pay on entry (card payments only).

Our opening hours are 10:00–17:00 each day. Please book a timed entry ticket online in advance of your visit. This includes National Museums Scotland Members, National Museum of Rural Life Annual Pass holders and National Trust for Scotland Members.

When you arrive at the museum you must present your pre-booked timed entry ticket (either printed or on a smartphone) or provide your order number, along with your National Museums Scotland Membership card, Annual Pass ticket, or National Trust for Scotland Membership card (as appropriate). 

You will be checked in by our staff before you can start your visit. Please ensure you arrive at the museum within your arrival slot. If you arrive before or after your slot, we may not be able to grant you entry.

Advance timed entry ticketing will help reduce queueing to enter the museum. To help our staff provide an enjoyable experience for all visitors, please arrive within the arrival slot shown on your ticket.

You must arrive within the arrival slot shown on your ticket but are welcome to stay in the museum for as long as you like until closing time.

We have developed a new visitor map to show all the areas of the site that are open and what can be enjoyed during your visit.

Please note that the Garden Detectives gallery in the museum building the farmhouse at the working farm are now open. We ask that visitors do not pet the animals at the farm, including our farm cats. The farmhouse is open until 16:00 each day.

Farm Explorer tractor-trailer ride tickets are available at the museum ticket desk. Tickets are on a first-come first-served basis with limited availability each day. The last tractor to the farm departs at 15:00.

Special events are now taking place and you can keep up to date with What's On here.

Family trails are available with information and activities for all ages. Head off on Clyde's Museum Adventure or follow the Willow Sculpture Trail on a walk to the farm. 

Our outdoor play and picnic area is open with new equipment to enjoy. There are picnic tables nearby.

Toilets are open throughout the site, including accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. Please refer to the onsite signage and speak to the team should you have any questions during your visit.

Shielings Café is open, serving a full sit-in menu and takeaway options. The café takes card and cash, with card being the preferred method of payment. Browse the menu ahead of your visit. Download the PDF.

You are welcome to bring your own picnic to eat in our outdoor play and picnic area. Please dispose of your rubbish responsibly in the bins provided. Barbecues and gas stoves are not permitted.

The museum shop is open, and card payments are preferred.