National Museum of Scotland

What's on

List of Exhibitions

  1. 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.
    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

    Find out more
  2. An array of bronze age weapons including a brown shield with a hole in the centre, a dark grey spearhead and a stack of green and grey short swords against a black background.
    Exhibition

    Scotland's First Warriors

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

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  3. A Roman stone altar with the face of the Roman god Sol carved into it. Rays of light pass through slits around the head of Sol.
    Exhibition

    Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire

    –
    'Roman Scotland' will tell new stories of Roman occupation and reshape our understanding of Scotland’s relationship with the Roman world. 

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  4. Yellow patterned jacket, with black and white accents, on a manequin.
    Exhibition

    A Fashion Odyssey: Jean Muir, Bill Gibb, Zandra Rhodes

    –
    A Fashion Odyssey explores the work of three trailblazing British fashion designers - Jean Muir, Bill Gibb, and Zandra Rhodes.
    Just announced

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more

List of Events

  1. Woman and baby in arms sitting on the floor on a checked carpet.
    Event

    Magic Carpet

    Mon Sep 7 2026 - Mon 15 Mar 2027
    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
  2. Two fossils lying on a large map next to some coloured pencils and a sketchbook. The sketchbook contains illustrations of the fossils.
    Event

    Creative Workshop: Drawing the Earth

    Sat 12 Sep, 12:30 - 16:30
    Inspired by the Tercentenary of James Hutton's birth, join us for this geology drawing workshop.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  3. A parent and child look at a large set of teeth of a prehistoric sperm whale held in an origami-style glass case.
    Event

    Member Event: Movie Matinee

    Monday 14 Sept, 15:00 - 16:35
    Join us for a whole afternoon of family fun. Visit our current exhibition, Giants then enjoy a film screening of The Good Dinosaur (2015).

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  4. Two people sitting at a table listening to a member of museum staff talk about a sword from the collections.
    Event

    Museum Socials

    17 Jul - 18 Dec, 10:30 – 12:00
    Our Museum Socials are designed for people living with dementia, their relatives, friends, carers, and supporters.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  5. Young woman sketching on clipboard in front of wildlife exhibition
    Event

    The Sunday Sketch

    Sun 20 Sep 2026 – Sun 21 Mar 2027, 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

    Find out more
  6. A hand holding a needle that has been threaded through brown wool fabric
    Event

    Creative Workshop: Drop Spinning

    Sat 26 Sep, 10:30 - 12:30
    Join us for this workshop on traditional spinning techniques, inspired by our 'Scotland's First Warriors' exhibition.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  7. An expressive painting of a large figure with two smaller figures
    Event

    In Conversation: Understanding Prehistoric Lives Beyond Conflict

    Sat 26 Sep, 14:30-16:00
    Tristan Hughes and Nicole DeRushie join exhibition curator Dr Matthew Knight to discuss the evidence of life beyond conflict in prehistoric Scotland.
    Just announced

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  8. Black and white image of a cobblestone Victorian high street. There are various shop fronts, a horse and cart, and people walking around.
    Event

    Short Courses with the University of Edinburgh

    –
    Explore our collections with expert tutors on a University of Edinburgh Short Course hosted at the National Museum of Scotland. 
    Coming soon

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  9. A close up image of a person in dark clothes against a grey background playing a set of wooden small pipes
    Event

    Music at the Museum

    Tues 27 Oct – Tues 2 Mar, 11:30 – 12:15 and 13:30 – 14:15.
    Join us for free live music performances, featuring folk, classical, traditional Scottish, and modern fusion styles.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more