Edinburgh Science Festival 2024

Join us as we host two weeks of science-fuelled exploration at the National Museum of Scotland, from free interactive exhibits to family workshops and adult talks and events.

For more details and to book tickets for select events, please visit Edinburgh Science's website.

Edinburgh Science Festival installation in the Grand Gallery in 2023 © Edinburgh Science

Growing Home: A New World of Materials 

A free, interactive installation

30 March - 14 April, Grand Gallery

Drop-in, free

Join us in the Grand Gallery on an interactive journey through the history of biologically derived materials and discover how they will become part of future building, packaging, fashion, daily living and more. Enter our workshop zones for some hands-on biomaterial fun, and standing proud in the centre of the gallery will be Growing Room, an architectural structure grown from wool and mycellium (the root network of fungus).

Younger explorers can discover all about the materials that make up their world in our specially created 5 and under zone.

Growing Home After Hours  

Thu 4 Apr

19:00–22:00

£15/£13, ages 18+ 

Enjoy science in style in an event that’s just for grown-ups. Try out all the interactive experiments from the Growing Home exhibition and enjoy a DJ, bar, talks, live demonstrations and hands-on activities from across this year’s Festival.

Book for this event on the Edinburgh Science website.

Growing Home Relaxed Opening

Tue 9 Apr 

9:00–10:00 Relaxed Early Opening, free, booking required

10:00–12:00 Relaxed Morning, drop-in, free 

Visit the Grand Gallery between 9:00–10:00 before we open to the public and enjoy our Growing Home exhibition in a more relaxed and less crowded environment. This session is primarily for, but not limited to, families with autistic children, autistic young people and adults, adults living with dementia, adults and children with mental health problems, and any other visitors with sensory needs or who may prefer a more relaxed experience, plus their families, friends and carers.  For more information on relaxed mornings at the National Museum of Scotland please visit our Relaxed Morning webpage.

Discover Our Science with the University of Edinburgh 

Tue 2–Fri 5 & Tue 9–Fri 12 Apr

10:30–12:30 & 13:30–16:30

Drop-in, free 

Discover amazing drop-in science with staff and students from the University of Edinburgh in our Learning Centre. Get hands-on with experiments, from fruit flies to quantum spies.  For more information visit the Edinburgh Science webpage. 

Family workshops with the University of Edinburgh

Our Learning Centre and Hawthornden Court will also be home to a fantastic selection of bookable family workshops. Find the full programme on the Edinburgh Science website.

Adult talks, discussions and films 

Broaden your horizons in a series of fascinating daytime and evening events in our Auditorium, covering topics from ethical AI to mapping the menopause. Find the full programme on the Edinburgh Science website.

Prices vary, advance booking required. 

Further afield

Check out our Edinburgh Science Festival activities at the National Museum of Flight!

For the full Edinburgh Science Festival programme, including details of how to book, please visit the Edinburgh Science Festival website.

Getting hands-on with a model brain at a previous Edinburgh Science Festival event in the Grand Gallery © Andy Catlin

We want everyone who comes to our museums to enjoy their time with us and make the most of their visit. 

• There is level access to the Museum via the main doors to the Entrance Hall on Chambers Street and the Tower entrance at the corner of Chambers Street and George IV Bridge.  
• Lifts are available to all floors and accessible toilets are available on Levels 0 and 3, as well as a Changing Places (U) toilet in the Entrance Hall on Level 0. 
• Wheelchairs are available for loan at no charge. Please note wheelchairs cannot be booked in advance. On arrival, ask about availability at the Information Desk. Small mobility scooters are permitted inside the museum.
• There is an induction loop in the Auditorium. 
• Guide dogs, hearing dogs and other recognised assistance dogs are admitted. 

Find out more about our access information. If you have any questions about accessing this event, please email us in advance at publicevents@nms.ac.uk.