National Museum of Scotland

What's on

List of Exhibitions

  1. A man and young girl are standing in the centre of the image, pointing upwards at a giant, 3D sculpture of an animal. Other visitors are to the left and right, looking at the same sculpture, and the sculpture of a gorilla to the left
    Exhibition

    Giants

    –
    Giants showcases the colossal prehistoric creatures that lived 66 million years ago, through life-sized sculptures, skeletons, and fossils.

    National Museum of Scotland

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  2. A Bronze Age spearhead. The base of the spearhead has a delicate gold hatched design.
    Exhibition

    Scotland's First Warriors

    –
    Scotland's First Warriors reveals the origins and impact of conflict in prehistoric Scotland.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

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List of Events

  1. The teeth of a megalodon shark, set in a glass display case in the lifesize shape of the megalodon's jaw.
    Event

    Member Preview Day and Evening: Giants

    Fri 30 Jan 2026, 10:00 - 20:00
    Join us for an exclusive Preview of Giants and see National Museum of Scotland's newest exhibition before it opens to the public. Now featuring special extended opening hours.
    Just announced

    National Museum of Scotland

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  2. 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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  3. A child paints at a table
    Event

    Sensory Sunday

    Sun 1Feb – Sun 6 Dec 2026, 11:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 15:00
    Exciting, hands-on sensory play sessions for children with additional support needs.

    National Museum of Scotland

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  4. A close up of a musician playing a violin with the Grand Gallery in the background.
    Event

    Live Music Mondays

    Mon 15 Dec – Mon 16 Feb, 12:45 – 13:30
    Come along to free live music performances featuring folk, classical, traditional Scottish, and modern fusion styles. 

    National Museum of Scotland

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  5. A young person in glasses and a hat looking at a robotic hand.
    Event

    Friday Friends

    Various dates, 14:00 - 16:00
    Our Friday Friends programme offers a welcoming space for visually impaired and D/deaf children and their families.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

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  6. A person controlling a large inflatable illuminated octopus puppet.
    Event

    Manipulate Festival: Ocho the Octopus

    Sat 7 Feb, 10:00 - 13:00
    Ocho the Octopus puppet stops off at the National Museum of Scotland for a morning of free pop-up performances and a puppetry inspired craft activity.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

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  7. Three performers dressed in colourful outfits. On the left is a gold and silver owl, a black raven is in the middle, and a red bear is on the right.
    Event

    Manipulate Festival: Europe, Meine Liebe, Mon Amour

    Sun 8 Feb, 10:30 - 16:00
    Enjoy short pop-up theatre performances in the museum’s Grand Gallery, inspired by artist Bruno Gallagher’s travels around Europe.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

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  8. Large 3D origami like sculptures of giant animals, in the giants exhibition space. In the foreground is a woolly mammoth, with glass panels on the legs that show real fossilised bones inside.
    Event

    Giants: Half Term

    Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, 10:30 - 16:00
    Join us in the Grand Gallery for free family activities to celebrate the recent opening of our new exhibition, Giants.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

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  9. A parent and child play with red Lego bricks on a table.
    Event

    Giants: Half Term Big Build

    Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, 10:30 - 16:00
    Get inspired by our Giants exhibition and join us this half term for LEGO activities for all the family.

    National Museum of Scotland

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