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

    Find out more
  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

    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. 
    Just announced

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  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. 

    Find out more

List of Events

  1. An underwater photographer swims next to a Humpback whale.
    Event

    Doug Allan: Giants of the Sea

    Join award-winning wildlife photographer Doug Allan as he shares his experiences of getting up close to the world’s great marine mammals.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  2. A Egyptian sculpture made of brown stone, showing a pharaoh's head with a prominent headdress and serpent motif.
    Event

    Annual Director’s Lecture: Buying Power

    Discover the history of antiquities collecting in Egypt and Sudan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  3. A group of people sit at a table quilting fabric.
    Event

    Gather Around the Frame: A Celebration of Hand Quilting

    Sun 29 Mar, 10:15 - 16:45
    Celebrate the traditional craft of frame quilting. Get hands-on at our quilting bee and learn more about this British tradition from modern makers, historians and museum experts. 
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  4. A busy museum gallery filled with people looking at boards and displays for the Edinburgh Science Festival
    Event

    Edinburgh Science Festival 2026

    Daily from Sat 4 - Sun 19 Apr, 10:00 - 17:00
    Join us as we host two weeks of science-filled discovery, from free interactive exhibits to family workshops and adult discussions.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  5. A large white card structure in the shape of a whale skull. The inside of the structure contains parts of a real bone skull, and teeth.
    Event

    Morning Curator Tour: Giants

    –
    Join our exhibition curator for an exclusive early-morning tour of Giants.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  6. A portrait of two young men turned to one another sideways. The man on the left is wearing a white ruffle wig an a blue jacked with buttons. The man on the right is wearing a white ruffled wig and a red jacket with buttons, a blue ribbon draped over left shoulder and a six point star medal pinned to the coat.
    Event

    Centre for Open Learning: Georgian Scotland

    15 Apr – 17 Jun 2026, Wednesdays 11:00 – 13:00
    This course explores Scotland’s great changes and developments between 1714 – 1815.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Find out more
  7. 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

    Find out more
  8. 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

    Find out more