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

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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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  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. 
    Just announced

    National Museum of Scotland

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  4. Two women looking at geological samples in a museum display case.
    Membership

    Become a Member

    Enjoy a range of benefits, including free entry, unlimited access to our special exhibitions, and event discounts. 

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List of Events

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

    Museum Socials

    Third Friday of the month, 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

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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 1 Feb – 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. Event

    Gordon Buchanan: Giants of the Land

    Join award-winning wildlife filmmaker and presenter Gordon Buchanan as he shares his experiences of filming the world’s great land animals.

    National Museum of Scotland

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  5. A portrait of a Scottish piper in traditional dress made up of red tartan.
    Event

    Centre for Open Learning: Scotland: Romance and Reality

    Fri 22 May 2026, 10:30 – 16:30
    Explore the romance and reality of 18th and 19th century Scotland in this one-day course.

    National Museum of Scotland

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  6. A pair of hands holding a paper folded intricately, almost like an accordion.
    Event

    Creative Workshop: Paper Creations

    Saturday 23 May, 10:30 - 13:00 and 14:00 - 16:30
    Join paper folding artist Kate Colin for a bespoke workshop, inspired by our Giants exhibition.

    National Museum of Scotland

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  7. 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

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  8. A close up of a pink agate
    Event

    James Hutton at 300: A Celebration of Geology

    Fri 5 Jun 13:30-16:15
    Join us for an afternoon of free short talks, mini tours and object handling in celebration of James Hutton’s 300th birthday.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

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  9. A large origami-shaped model of a Woolly Mammoth in a museum exhibition space.
    Event

    Audio Descriptive Tour: Giants

    Tue 16 Jun, 17:30 – 19:30
    Explore the 'Giants' exhibition with an audio-described tour including tactile opportunities, designed for people who are blind or partially sighted.

    National Museum of Scotland

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