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 dozens of galleries, the museum offers a world of discovery under one roof

Visitor information for National Museum of Scotland

Admission details:

Free entry, charges for some special exhibitions.

Find us:

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. Children interact with a large cat puppet.
    Event

    Festival Family Day

    Sat 30 May, 10:00-16:30
    Join us for the opening of the 2026 Edinburgh International Children’s Festival with a day of free pop-up performances and activities.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  2. Woman and baby in arms sitting on the floor on a checked carpet.
    Event

    Magic Carpet

    Mon 11 May - Mon 22 Jun
    Explore the collection with our Magic Carpet sessions for under 5s. Inspire curious little minds through song, rhymes, movement and sensory play.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  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

    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.

    What is the Peebles Hoard?

    Archaeology, Scotland

    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…
    Short read
  2. A set of multicoloured glass beads arranged on a white background. The collection are if blue, grey, black yellow and white and arranged in a diagonal grid.

    Glenmorangie Research Project: when are glass beads from a Pictish site not Pictish?

    Archaeology

    Written by Dr Alice Blackwell
    I was delighted that an article written in collaboration with Dr Susy Kirk, on St Andrew’s Day, was awarded the 2016 RBK Stevenson prize by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Here is a flavour of our research behind the prize.When are…
    Long read
  3. Bronze clock-looking model with ornate dials and decoration to represent the motions of the Sun and stars.

    A 1000-year-old star catcher

    Science and technology

    Written by Dr Rebekah Higgitt
    This astrolabe was made by Muhammad ibn al-Ṣaffār in Córdoba in Al-Andalus (now Spain) during the period of Umayyad rule. It dates to the year 417 in the Islamic lunar calendar, which equates to 22 February 1026 to 10 February 1027 CE.This…
    Long read
  4. An open book, with the left hand page showing an illustration of a peacock, and the right showing scrolled text.

    6 highlights from our library

    Art and design, History and cultures

    Written by Morven Donald
    Founded by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the library at National Museum Scotland received its first book in 1781 – which is still on our shelves. Over the past 234 years, the library has gathered a wide-ranging and often…
    Listicle
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