Forts were not just military bases, they became the heart of communities

See five highlight objects that summarise the legacy of Rome's invasions of Scotland

What inspires you in our museums? Get creative and join our month-long online art challenge at National Museums Scotland!

Explore how production workflows developed to publish Chambers’s Encyclopaedia varied between editions, and find out more about the growth and decline of the commercial wood engraving profession.

Go behind the scenes with us and journey through time via our rich and diverse collections.

Our collections date from the mid-1800s and include samples of many different groups of animals.

Investigate different aspects of life on Earth, through fascinating fossils, tools for turning the soil and pieces of art reflecting the devastating effects of pollution on our planet.

National Museums Scotland have acquired a trio of exceptionally rare silver objects created in Scotland in the 1600s. The quaich, trumpet bell and mazer are important examples of 17th century Scottish craftsmanship and have been donated to the National Collections by Ron and Rosemary Haggarty.

Use one of our ten-minute activities with your class today, with suggestions for how you can extend.

Be inspired by our staff favourites from our collections on display on Level 1, or try and find them all on your next visit.

Oracle bones are parts of animal bone, used in divination ceremonies in ancient China. National Museums Scotland’s collection of oracle bones dates from the late Shang dynasty (c.1200–1050 BC) and was found at Yinxu site near Anyang city, in central China.

A weaving loom collected by David Livingstone among the Mang’anja people in Mozambique or Malawi reveals fascinating links between past and present.

The discovery of a well-preserved pectoral cross placed near the top of the Galloway Hoard was the first sign this was an extraordinary assemblage.

Discover the story of Scotland at war within the walls of Edinburgh Castle.

Designed by Kate Whiteford, the title of the work refers to the notorious whirlpool to the north of the island of Jura and draws on the artists's fascination with signs and symbols of ancient civilisations.

Archaeological finds from Rome's invasions of Scotland can be found throughout the country, from the Solway Firth to Moray. Three of the most prominent sites are Trimontium, Traprain Law, and the Antonine Wall.

Changing technology played a vital role in the Second World War. Major advances in communications, weaponry and medicine came about as a direct result of the conflict.

This huge amethyst geode formed over 130 million years ago in lava during a period of volcanic activity.

These multi-coloured plastic dolls, western in their appearance, are very popular in Africa today.

National Museums Scotland is collecting history as it happens. Our new film series, Collecting the Present, explores objects we have collected recently that document cultural, political and social change in Scotland.

Learn how museums and zoos are helping to conserve endangered species through CryoArks – the UK’s national bank of frozen animal material.

In 1907 the builder William Willett wrote a pamphlet called The Waste of Daylight, campaigning for Daylight Saving in the UK. 9 years later, in 1916, this came into effect in UK law and effectively changed how we experience the passing seasons. Read on to find out more about Daylight Saving is and why Willett wanted it implemented...

This joint meeting will take place from 4—10 June 2022 in Edinburgh.

The Meissen lion is part of the animal menagerie commissioned by Augustus II the Strong in the early 18th century.

Our Natural Sciences staff are experts in Earth Systems, Invertebrates, Palaeobiology and Vertebrate Biology.

Dr Klaus Staubermann, Principal Curator of Technology at National Museums Scotland, has been helping to lead the ReINVENT project, which aims to explore well-known and forgotten nineteenth century Scottish manufacturing practices by reconnecting material culture evidence from historical artifacts with science and engineering evidence from historical technology.

This magnificent maple cabinet was designed by Edward William Godwin and painted by the renowned artist, James Abbott McNeill Whistler.

Scottish-born Alexander Dalrymple was a significant figure in Britain’s maritime history.

Contemporary objects created by Indigenous people are helping us to grow our understanding of other cultures and build stronger links with communities around the world.

Museums are great places to uncover stories. Build your own story, inspired by our amazing objects.

Explore how CryoArks biobanks store samples from animals so that researchers can look at their genetic code.

Celebrate the life and legacy of Robert Burns in a series of films focussing on key objects associated with the bard.

This project explored print and publishing history, and the study of cultural history through unique artefacts, in this case woodblocks and the electrotype and stereotype plates derived from them.

Discover how Victorian inventors and entrepreneurs succeeded in capturing the very first images.