Within the walls of Edinburgh Castle, the National War Museum tells the story of Scotland at war.

The National Museum of Scotland is housed in magnificent buildings. Find out about its striking architectural details below, and explore them further on your next visit to our Museum.

1914 brought war to Scotland on what would prove to be an unprecedented scale. Delve into the stories behind those who fought in the First World War here.

The National Museum of Scotland has become the first museum or gallery in Scotland available for exploration online via Google Arts & Culture’s Museum View experience.

1939 saw the start of a conflict that would change Scotland and the world. Discover Scottish stories related to different aspects of the Second World War - life on the Home Front, the development of technology driven by the conflict, and personal memories of some of the people who lived through it.

Your journey of discovery starts here

During and directly after the Second World War, the Reid family at Wester Kittochside, East Kilbride employed both Italian and German prisoners of war.

Explore life in the countryside at our five-star museum, farmhouse and historic working farm.

Wing your way to one of Scotland's top days out at East Fortune Airfield.

Casualty of War: A Portrait of Maharaja Duleep Singh is by renowned British Sikh artists, The Singh Twins.

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

More than 10 million objects make their home at the National Museum of Scotland. Discover the secrets of our treasures with this unique five-part series.

Explore the story of Waterloo at the National War Museum.

Discover the latest information about visiting our museums

Our beautiful Clydesdale horses are one of the star attractions at the National Museum of Rural Life

Our Centenary programme of exhibitions and events shares the Scottish memory of the world-changing events of the First World War with national and international visitors.

In 2016, we celebrated 150 years since the magnificent building that houses the National Museum of Scotland first opened to the public. Explore the Museum’s history here.

At the National Museum of Rural Life we have a significant collection of 20th-century harvesting machines in our large machinery store.

National Museums Scotland are delighted to welcome back the University of Edinburgh Short Courses – a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.

This exhibition at the National War Museum explores the little-known story of British conscientious objectors of the Second World War through paintings, poems, letters, music and speeches.

The battle of Tel-el-Kebir was a decisive moment in the British maintaining order in Egypt in the late 19th century and its depicted in a magnificent painting at National War Museum.

Discover objects on loan to the new Trimontium Museum in the Scottish Borders

Join curator Lydia Prosser for a guided virtual tour of our Kingdom of the Scots gallery at the National Museum of Scotland.

Visitors discovered some of the treasures within the National Museum Scotland's significant collection of oracle bones, the second largest in the world outside of China.

Find out how and why the poppy was adopted as a symbol of remembrance in the aftermath of the First World War.

Discover the story of National Museums Scotland, from our 18th century beginnings to the present day.

Long before the French Revolution, the Scots had invented and were using the beheading machine known as the Maiden. It was used to execute criminals and political opponents of the crown from 1564 to 1710.

Join Chief Chebe as he takes you on two African storytelling adventures at the National Museum of Scotland.

The Wester Kittochside Farm at National Museum of Rural Life was owned and run by the Reid family for more than 400 years.

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.

Plan the perfect trip to the National Museum of Flight

Plan the perfect trip to the National Museum of Rural Life

This striking fusion of styles, traditions, and Scottish and Ugandan cultures is designer José Hendo's sustainable fashion statement for our times.

With the introduction of rationing, the threat of air raids, and the loss of so many workers through conscription, daily life looked and felt very different for people at home in Scotland during the Second World War.

Acclaimed historian and broadcaster Michael Wood joined Dr Adrián Maldonado, Glenmorangie Research Fellow, to discuss Adrián’s new book, 'Crucible of Nations: Scotland from Viking Age to Medieval Kingdom'. The book reassesses the museum’s Viking-age collections, uncovering an exciting new vision of Scotland’s diverse and creative past.

Learn how to say colours in Mandarin, explore the museum collections, in person or virtually, and create your own Chinese object card.

Delve into our animated adventures and explore the world around us from unique perspectives.

Explore the museum collections and historic airfield with our family trails.

Explore the story of Tipu Sultan and the Siege of Seringapatam (Srirangapatna) at the National War Museum.

Explore a range of activities suitable for pupils working at Third and Fourth Levels and Senior Phase including the First World War, Parasites and Fashion.

Explore the highlights of the museum and our working farm with this family trail.

Art at the Start in the museum – join us for creative play for under 5s.