A multi-level museum atrium with white pillars and railings. Different museum objects are on display on each level. Visitors look up at the objects.

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. 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.
    Exhibitions

    Scotland's First Warriors

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

    National Museum of Scotland

    More info
  2. Black and white image of a cobblestone Victorian high street. There are various shop fronts, a horse and cart, and people walking around.
    Events

    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. 
    Tickets available

    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.
    Events

    Find Out Fridays

    14 Aug 2026 – 19 Mar 2027, 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. Fan with wooden sticks and guards painted black with gilt detailing. One guard with inscription 'ESPANA'. Fan leaf in metallic paper printed with a bullfighting scene

    Fan favourites: 5 decorative souvenir fans

    Art and design, Fashion and textiles

    Written by Dr Emily Taylor & Carys Wilkins
    Hand-held folding fans are a lightweight portable accessory. Although their practical function is to keep you cool, the decoration and materials used to make fans communicate much, much more.Fans make ideal souvenirs, intended to be…
    Listicle
  3. Screenshot from a 3D model of oak boat stem from a Viking-age boat stem from Eigg

    A Viking Age boatyard on Eigg

    Archaeology

    Written by Dr Adrián Maldonado
    Two oak boat stems dating to 880-1050 AD from the isle of Eigg show the arrival of Scandinavian seafaring technology to Scotland.These rare survivals reveal how the Viking Age forever changed Scotland's seaways.Vikings and the seaWe tend…
    Short read
  4. The Holy Loch near Dunoon. A large loch with mountains in the distance. A white ferry travels across the loch.

    'The world opened up to us’: Collecting American-Scottish Cold War experiences in Dunoon, Scotland

    History and cultures, Scotland

    Written by Dr Sarah Harper & Dr Mhairi Maxwell
    The Cold War in Scotland forged new bonds between Scottish and American communities. As testimonies of veterans and Dunoon locals tell us, the conflict brought different cultures together and had a lasting impact on the town and its…
    Long read
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