A multi-storey museum gallery with taxidermy models of animals on display. The skeleton of a T.Rex stands at the entrance to the gallery.
Explore the galleries

Natural World galleries

Hundreds of fascinating animals are brought together in our Natural World galleries to illustrate the extraordinary variety of life on earth.

Our much-loved Tyrannosaurus rex guards the entrance to a stunning series of galleries about our precious planet. Here we ask the big questions: how does the world work? What do we know about it? What is our place in the universe?

Galleries to visit

A mother and son interact with a museum display in front of a group of taxidermy models and animal skeletons. A leopard sits on a tree branch next to the skull of a crocodile.

Animal World

Location: Level 1

Our dramatic Animal World gallery introduces the main themes of behaviour and interaction with the environment. Here you can explore the lives of animals from around the world, from the Arctic to Australia, and even see how you measure up – do you weigh more than a chimpanzee?

Five visitors looking at shelves of a different coloured agates.

Earth in Space

Location: Level 1

Next to our animal galleries, Earth in Space explores our place in the universe and how our understanding of it has developed. Explore astronomy with our magnificent orrery and mighty Schmidt telescope. 

A wildlife panorama of different species of animals hangs from the ceiling of the Natural World galleries at the National Museum of Scotland.

Animal Senses

Location: Level 3

Use your senses to learn how animals communicate with each other in our Animal Senses gallery.

Close up of geological samples in a display case in a museum gallery.

Restless Earth

Location: Level 3

Restless Earth investigates the geological processes that constantly shape and reshape the planet. Find natural processes in action with our rich geology collection and come face to face with a huge amethyst geode- it's almost two metres high!

A female couple and their son look at a taxidermy model of a panda in a museum display case.

Survival

Location: Level 5

Learn how animals have evolved to thrive – or faced extinction.

Meet endangered species such as Ching Ching the Giant Panda or our Scottish Wildcat, and marvel at the spectacular array of swimming and flying animals in the Wildlife Panorama.

A model of a stegosaurus skeleton standing in the middle of a colourful museum gallery.

Adventure Planet

Location: Level 5

Why is an oak tree so full of life? What kinds of animals live at the bottom of the sea? What does extinct mean? Discover the answers to these questions and find out lots more about our amazing natural world in Adventure Planet. 

Gallery highlights

Stories from the galleries

  1. Discover

    Scotland's native wildlife

    Scotland is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Among the most recognisable species are red deer, which are monarchs of the glen, standing proud and majestic against the skyline.Scotland is home to over 90,000 species. The land, seas, and…
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  2. Two curved grey fossiled stones against a black background
    Discover

    Meet ‘Lizzie’, a 345 million year old fossil

    In the 1980s, a very important fossil was discovered in Scotland. Named Westlothiana, the fossil got its nickname 'Lizzie' because it looked so lizard-like. But don't let the name fool you. It was thought to be the oldest known reptile,…
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  3. An illustration of a long dark rock with a bright white section, against an orange background
    Discover

    The folky tale of the mineral tacharanite

    This mineral got its name from how it behaves when exposed to air, but with a Scottish folkloric twist!Tacharanite occurs in nature as bundles and little spheres of silky white fibres in altered basalt rocks. It's found in several…
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  4. An illustration of two brown rocks with white flecks against a bright green background
    Discover

    The surprising story of the mineral ramsayite

    When is ramsayite not ramsayite? Find out below in a story of clans, Swedish nobility, Finnish land and titles, and a shocking twist!Ramsayite was first described in 1923. It was noted as pale purple to brown, or pale pink to mauve, or…
    Keep reading
Browse all stories

Gallery accessibility

Getting to the galleries

Lifts and escalators

Lifts are available to all floors of the museum. You can check the museum map or ask a member of the Visitor Experience team for the nearest lifts. Information on lift dimensions is available on the AccessAble website.   

In the galleries

Seating

There are seating options in the Natural World galleries, either in the form of permanent seats or foldable chairs. Please ask a member of the Visitor Experience team for the nearest seats. 

Lighting and noise

The lighting levels range from low to high in the Natural World galleries in order to protect the objects on display. 

These galleries have lots of interactives and can be noisy when busy. 

Large screens hang from the ceiling of the Natural World galleries. They play videos on loop without any audio. 

Check our sensory map to explore all the different sensory experiences in different parts of the museum. 

Large print guides

Large print guides can be found in every gallery of the museum. Please remember to return them after use so that other visitors can use them. 

 

Facilities

Toilets

Accessible toilets are available on Levels 0 and 3, as well as a Changing Places (U) toilet in the Entrance Hall on Level 0.  You can access the museum map to find those nearest to you or ask a member of the Visitor Experience team. 

Cloakroom and storage

Self-service lockers are located in the Entrance Hall. The lockers come in three sizes which accommodate coats and small bags right up to small flight cases. 

There is buggy storage available in the museum. It is located on Level 1 of the Scotland galleries, behind the Kingdom of the Scots gallery.

Quiet spaces

If at any time you or someone you are visiting with finds the visit overwhelming, a member of staff can direct you to quieter areas in the museum. The sensory map also identifies the quieter spaces.

For full access information for the National Museum of Scotland buildings, find out more on our accessibility page. 

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