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A teacher gathers a group of primary school pupils around an Egyptian Coffin.

Trails & resources for the National Museum of Scotland

Primary level trails

Select from the options below to support your visit. Trails are designed specifically for those at a primary school level. 

Ancient Egypt: Hedjet's adventure

Follow Hedjet the hippo through the museum to discover more about ancient Egypt.

Biodiversity: Rewilding

Swim rivers with a salmon, spread your wings with an eagle and discover how to help nature at home. Explore our galleries to find out about some of Scotland's native species.

Dinosaurs

Discover fascinating dinosaur facts as you travel through our Natural World galleries. 

Maths: A world of maths

Through the fascinating world of maths, discover amazing innovations, explore how we communicate, and be wowed by the natural world.

This trail is part of our Maths Week Scotland celebrations, a week of activity with special events throughout the year.

 

Romans

From fighting to farming, find out about life as a Roman soldier in Scotland with Felix the centurion.

Scottish Inventors and Inventions

Join Isla on her adventure round the museum to discover some of these inventions and how they have helped shape our lives and the world around us today.

 

Download the inventors trail.

Inventors Trail - Scots.

Inventors trail - Gaelic.

Space Quest

Learn more about space, the solar system and how humans have explored it. 

Download Space Quest

Victorian Reporter

Extra! Extra! Become a journalist and travel back in time to report on life in Victorian Britain.

 

Vikings: Harald's Quest

Fierce raders or farmers and traders? Learn about life as a Viking with Harald on this quest around the galleries. 

Secondary level trails

Explore the National Museum of Scotland's galleries using our trails which have been specifically designed for young people at a secondary school level. 

Art and Design trail

Explore different career paths through our galleries at the National Museum of Scotland (or virtually, by using Google Street View). Discover some of the key objects in our Art, Design and Fashion collections. Think about their materials, form and the social and cultural context in which they were designed, made and used. Sketch out your own ideas and solutions to our design challenges.

 

Trail

LGBTQAI+ trail

LGBTQIA+ stories have often been kept out of mainstream history, so we are keen to make them visible.This trail features ten objects found on Levels 1, 3 and 5 at the National Museum of Scotland. Download the trail and listen to the accompanying audio for each object below.

Trail and audio

DNA: A question of taste

Discover more about our DNA through a series of displays and interactives throughout the National Museum of Scotland. 

 

Download trail

Bookable backpacks

Enhance your group's visit with one of our bookable backpacks. Simply make a note of the backpack you wish to use in the 'Additional Information' section of your booking request

ASN backpack

A colourful sensory backpack is available to borrow for free for pupils with additional support needs.

This contains an appealing selection of items ranging from fun and soothing sensory toys to ear-defenders and dark glasses, and has been created to support and enhance the museum experience for pupils.

 

Find out more about our range of ASN resources 

Mandarin backpack

When visiting the museum, classes can book to use our Mandarin activity backpacks to explore the objects in person. The backpacks contain sensory items relating to each of our seven objects featured in our Mandarin at the Museum resource. 

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