Our West, South and Southeast Asian collections contain more than 17,000 objects, giving insight into the lives of past and present people across a vast geographical area.

This strange-looking device was the first model of telephone to go on sale. But can its creator, Alexander Graham Bell, truly lay claim to the title ‘inventor of the telephone’?

Discover more about the Circular Economy through the Making Circles schools project, led by Ostrero.

Préparez votre visite du Musée national d'Écosse.

Napier’s ‘bones’ or ‘rods’ are just one of the methods invented by the Edinburgh-born Renaissance scholar John Napier to speed up calculations.

Delve into the streets and dwellings of Edinburgh’s Old Town in late 18th and early 19th century. Discover what life was like at the time of Burke and Hare and understand what drove them to commit murder.

Our Ancient Mediterranean archaeological collections consist of over 12,000 objects from across northern Africa, southern Europe, and western Asia.

Rarer than the tiger, the Scottish wildcat is Britain's last native cat species. Find out more about this elusive feline and the efforts being made to ensure it has a future.

Download resources to create your own Teacup Travels adventure, based on the CBeebies series, and find out where you can see the objects that inspired the Viking episode.

This splendid reconstruction brings to life an Iron Age chariot discovered at Newbridge, near Edinburgh Airport. Chariot burials were very exclusive, and this is the oldest in Britain.

Lulu came from the only killer whale pod in the UK and was found dead on Tiree in 2016. She had the highest levels of polychlorinated biphenyls ever recorded from a marine mammal.

Flora MacDonald famously helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape. This snuffbox, an heirloom of her clan, links the romantic pair.

As microscopes became increasingly popular, so did companies that specialized in slide preparation.

A unique jar of rock crystal and gold from the Galloway Hoard with a fascinating history – and an intriguing name on it.

Hung in Europe’s most noble households, this luxurious tapestry belongs to a Flemish set known as The Triumph of the Seven Virtues. It was woven in Brussels during the early 16th century.

James VI and I was a hugely significant Stewart king, but has been overshadowed by his notorious relations: his predecessor in Scotland, his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots; in England, his cousin, Elizabeth I; and his successor in both kingdoms, Charles I.

In August 1839, Lord Eglinton held a mock-medieval tournament at his estate in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The event was hugely popular, and around 100,000 people attended. Step onto the battlefield and discover some of the objects associated with this flamboyant festival here.

The first important professional woman artist of modern Scotland, Phoebe Anna Traquair was a leading figure within the Scottish Arts and Crafts movement.

Planifique su visita al Museo Nacional de Escocia.

Planowanie wizyty w Narodowym Muzeum Szkocji.

The Ann Paludan Photographic Archive consists of more than 10,000 photographsof historical Chinese sculptures, and represents over thirty years of site visits and research by writer and art historian Ann Paludan (1928–2014).

Combined with the historic dress and textiles collections pre-dating 1850, our collection of European and North American fashion and textiles consists of c. 50,000 items.

Why should a 19th century Scottish woman feature on a contemporary African cloth? Discover the story of Mary Slessor: missionary, magistrate and champion of women's rights.

This elaborate 19th century vase was created by the architect and designer William Burges, and formed part of his opulent interior decoration design for Cardiff Castle.

If the first four-legged animals had never emerged from water onto land, our world today would not exist. Yet how did this great step happen? The mystery is finally being solved – and fossils discovered in Scotland lie at the heart of the story.

This very important fossil, affectionately known as ‘Lizzie', was discovered in Scotland in the 1980s and could be the earliest known reptile.

This simple looking object made it possible for the first clinical trials and batch production of penicillin to take place. Its design marks a significant milestone in the history of medicine.

From ancient ceramics to imperial jade, oracle bones to contemporary propaganda posters, our Chinese collection spans over four thousand years and includes around 11,000 items.

This Byzantine sardonyx bowl mounted on a 16th-century gold stand is truly a magnificent object.

Discover how research and collecting at National Museums Scotland is reshaping understandings of Scotland in the past as we take a closer look at a very special Roman object with surprising Egyptian origins.

The lidded vessel which contained the Galloway Hoard's most precious treasures is itself a revelation.

Discover a range of paintings, drawings and pastels from the First and Second World Wars from our military collection.

计划您游览苏格兰国家博物馆的行程

This box inscribed with the name of Pharaoh Amenhotep II is one of the finest examples of decorative woodwork to survive from ancient Egypt.

Discover how this unique piece of Scottish printing heritage found a new home at the National Museums Collection Centre – bringing with it a sprinkle of Harry Potter magic!

The design of this elegant modernist dining suite was once admired by the Queen Mother. Now extremely rare, it makes a significant new addition to the national collection.

National Museums Scotland’s internationally significant ancient Egyptian and Sudanese collections comprise around 6,300 items. Explore its rich treasures here.

The collections of decorative arts, craft, jewellery, glass, ceramics, metalwork, furniture and product design comprise over 11,000 objects.

This curious object, one of the earliest surviving pieces of Scottish-made gold, was used at the Scottish coronation of Charles I, held some eight years after his coronation in London.

Discover how this enigmatic material is shining a light on ecosystems millions of years old.

This historic Bruce-Oosterwijck pendulum sea clock played an important role in the long quest for a practical way of determining longitude at sea; a problem that made sea voyages incredibly hazardous.

This block is one of the few surviving casing stones from the Great Pyramid of Giza, built for King Khufu. It is the only pyramid casing stone on display outside Egypt.