National Museums Scotland

Dramatic bronze face mask of a Roman on a black background

Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire

Saturday 14 November 2026 – Sunday 18 April 2027

Explore stories that reshape how we understand Scotland's relationship with the Roman world.

Find out more

Our museums

  • A multi-level open museum space with balconies and an arched ceiling. There are lots of visitors looking at objects on display.

    National Museum of Scotland

    Open daily, 10:00 - 17:00

    Free entry, charges for some special exhibitions.

    Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF

  • A view of the Concorde plane inside a hangar with its stairway doors open.

    National Museum of Flight

    Apr - Oct

    Open daily, 10:00 - 17:00

    Tickets from £15, concessions available. Members go free.

    East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF

  • Three cows in a stall eating hay through a railing

    National Museum of Rural Life

    Open daily, 10:00 - 17:00

    Tickets from £12.50, concessions available. Members go free.

    Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR

  • A visitor looking at a series of military medals on display in a museum case. There is a large portrait in the background depicting a battle.

    National War Museum

    Oct - Mar

    Open daily, 09:45 - 16:45

    Free with tickets to Edinburgh Castle.

    Edinburgh Castle, Castlehill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NG

What's on

  1. A small circular window, like those you would see in the hull of a ship, gives a glimpse into a museum storage area filled with racks containing boxes and folders.
    Events

    Collection Centre Tours

    Tue 24 Mar 2026 – Tue 23 Feb 2027, 10:30 - 12:00 or 13:00 - 14:30
    Go behind the scenes on a tour of our state-of-the-art collections and research centre in Granton, Edinburgh.

    National Museums Collection Centre

  2. A woman holds an 11th century astronomical instrument known as an astrolabe.
    Online Event

    Online Member Event: 2026, A Year of Science & Medicine Anniversaries

    Wed 21 Oct, 19:00
    Join us for an exclusive online Member event to learn about 2026’s remarkable science and medicine anniversaries.
  3. A child sits looking at a picture book.
    Events

    Family Storytelling Day

    Sat 24 Oct, 10:30 - 16:30
    Join us for a full day of free fun for families, including storytelling, crafts and object encounters.
    Free

    National Museum of Scotland

See what else is on

Discover our collections

  1. Twelve bronze objects, including some rounded fittings with concentric circle designs and a rattle pendant. They are all silvery, with some green corrosion on the surface.

    What is the Peebles Hoard?

    Archaeology, Scotland

    The Peebles Hoard is a spectacular collection of bronze, leather and wooden material. Dating to the Late Bronze Age (c.1000-800 BCE), it contains several hundred elements from a complex set of objects. A complete sword in a wooden scabbard…
    Short read
  2. A bust portrait of a man slightly turned to the left, wearing a dark coat with a white shirt against picturesque landscape in the background.

    Get to know Robert Burns through 10 objects

    History and cultures, Scotland

    A variety of objects relating to the life of Scotland's bard can be found in National Museums Scotland's collection. Read on to learn more about Burns' life, legacy, and his depictions in objects and popular culture.
    Listicle
  3. A white sheep looking to camera, shown from the shoulders up against a grey background

    The story of Dolly the sheep

    Natural world, Science and technology, Scotland

    Dolly the sheep was the first cloned mammal ever to be created from an adult cell. Affectionately named after country music legend Dolly Parton, Dolly caused excitement and controversy among both scientists and the public.Why is Dolly…
    Short read

  4. Discovering dinosaur bones on a Scottish island

    Natural world

    Dr Elsa Panciroli was walking along the shore of the island of Eigg when something caught her eye. She had stepped on a boulder, but there was something unusual buried in it.Dr Panciroli, a Research Associate at National Museums Scotland,…
    Short read
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