Past Exhibitions
- Exhibition
Embroidered Stories: Scottish Samplers
–This exhibition provided an insight into the lives of children in the 18th and 19th centuries through a unique collection of Scottish samplers on loan from American collector Leslie B. Durst. - Exhibition
Rip It Up: The Story of Scottish Pop
–This was the first major exhibition dedicated to Scottish pop music. It explored the musical culture of the nation over more than half a century, from influential indie pioneers to global superstars. - Exhibition
Tim Peake’s Spacecraft
–This display showcased the Soyuz spacecraft used for European Space Agency Astronaut Tim Peake’s Principia Mission to the International Space Station. - Exhibition
Art of Glass
–Presented in partnership with The National Centre for Craft & Design, this exhibition examined the diverse work of established and emerging glass artists working in Britain today. - Exhibition
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018
–On loan from the Natural History Museum in London, this world-renowned touring exhibition showcased the very best in nature photography. - Exhibition
Scotland's Early Silver
–This exhibition explored the story of Scotland’s early silver and how this precious metal helped to shape the first kingdoms of Scotland. - Exhibition
Age of Oil
–This contemporary art exhibition showcased the work of visual artist Sue Jane Taylor who has worked in some of the most remote and challenging environments in Scotland. - Exhibition
Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites
–This exhibition explored the real story of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, better known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the rise and fall of the Jacobites. - Exhibition
See the Galloway Hoard
–Visitors got the opportunity to see some of the treasures from the Galloway Hoard on display in the National Museum of Scotland. - Exhibition
The Tomb: Ancient Egyptian Burial
–The Tomb presented the story of one extraordinary tomb, built around 1290BC and reused for over 1000 years. The exhibition came ahead of the new Ancient Egypt gallery, which opened at the National Museum of Scotland in 2019. - Exhibition
Monkey Business
–Featuring more than 60 taxidermy specimens created especially for the exhibition, as well as photography, film and hands-on interactives for all ages, this immersive, family-friendly exhibition took visitors into the heart of the jungle. - Exhibition
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016
–Wildlife Photographer of the Year is the most prestigious photography event of its kind, providing a global platform that showcases the natural world’s most astonishing and challenging sights for over 50 years. - Exhibition
Fossil Hunters: Unearthing the Mystery of Life on Land
–This exhibition explored how life on earth moved from water onto land 360-345 million years ago. - Exhibition
The Silversmith’s Art: Made in Britain Today
–This ground-breaking exhibition celebrated the exceptional creativity and skill which make Britain a world leader in modern silver. - Exhibition
Photography: A Victorian Sensation
–The Victorian craze for the photograph transformed the way we capture images and mirrors our own modern-day fascination for recording the world around us. This exhibition provided an opportunity to meet the pioneers of photography. - Exhibition
Fully Fashioned
–Marking Pringle of Scotland's 200th anniversary, this exhibition traced the history of the company from a small hosiery firm making undergarments to an international fashion brand known for its outerwear. - Exhibition
Celts
–This major exhibition, organised in partnership with the British Museum, unravelled the complex story of the different groups who have used or been given the name ‘Celts’ through the extraordinary art objects they made and used. - Exhibition
Masters of Japanese Porcelain
–The exhibition highlighted the generous donation of a large group of Japanese and Chinese ceramics by David and Anne Hyatt King, formed over half a century. - Exhibition
Game Masters
–This exhibition explored the development of videogames through interviews with game designers, rare original game artwork and interactives, as well as looking forward to how independently produced games are leading the way in design. - Exhibition
Indian Encounters
–Indian Encounters explored the changing relationships between Great Britain and India during the 18th and 19th centuries through the lives of two men: Captain Archibald Swinton and Maharaja Duleep Singh. - Exhibition
Common Cause
–Through poignant objects on loan from some of the countries where Scots had made new lives, as well as newsreel footage and photography, discover how war and loss was experienced and commemorated in different parts of the Commonwealth. - Exhibition
Ming: The Golden Empire
–A collection of original artefacts from the Nanjing Museum, including Chinese National Treasures, introduced key aspects of the Ming dynasty, focussing on the remarkable cultural, technological and economic achievements of the period. - Exhibition
Kabuki: Japanese Theatre Prints
–This striking exhibition presented vivid depictions of Kabuki, the popular form of traditional, all-male Japanese theatre, from our Japanese woodblock print collection.