Past Exhibitions
- Exhibition
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023
–In this world-renowned exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London, see exceptional images which capture fascinating animal behaviour, spectacular species and the breath-taking diversity of the natural world. - Exhibition
Rising Tide: Art and Environment in Oceania
12 Aug 2023 - 14 Apr 2024Delve into the most important and pressing issue of our time, humanity’s damaging relationship with planet Earth.Rising Tide considered our relationship to the natural environment through contemporary responses to climate change and… - Exhibition
Beyond the Little Black Dress
–This exhibition explored design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, Beyond the Little Black Dress deconstructs this iconic garment and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. - Exhibition
The Declaration of Arbroath
–2020 marked the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, one of Scotland's most important historical artefacts. - Exhibition
Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder
–A thrilling exploration of the science behind the long-running hit series, Doctor Who, for fans and newcomers alike. - Exhibition
Bernat Klein: Design in Colour
–This exhibition explored the life and career of Bernat Klein, one of the 20th century’s leading forces in modernist design, in this free exhibition marking the centenary of his birth. - Exhibition
E.coli by Luke Jerram
–The 90ft long inflatable sculpture is 5 million times bigger than the real bacterium.Bristol-based Luke Jerram's inflatable E.coli sculpture is suspended from the ceiling of our Grand Gallery. Watch the time lapse video below to see how… - Exhibition
Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life
–This exhibition explored the history of anatomical study, from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders. - Exhibition
Audubon’s Birds of America
–This exhibition explored the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, most coveted and biggest books. - Exhibition
Extinction Bell
–Luke Jerram's Extinction Bell raises awareness of biodiversity loss.Next time you come to the National Museum of Scotland, you might hear a bell tolling throughout your visit.The Extinction Bell is a work by Bristol-based artist Luke… - Exhibition
Scotland's Climate Challenge
–This exhibition explored Scottish innovations looking to reduce our impact on the climate.This small exhibition highlights the exciting work being carried out in Scotland to fight against climate change.It brings together just some of the… - Exhibition
The Typewriter Revolution
–The typewriter not only revolutionised offices, but also transformed the world of work - especially for women.This exhibition explored how these remarkable machines have helped to influence both society and technology, and why they are… - Exhibition
LEGO® Concorde Model
–Master builder Warren Elsmore and his team created a LEGO® Big Build of our very own Concorde, especially for us.Six metres long and made of over 60,000 bricks, you can see the model on display under Concorde. The model is made purely from… - Exhibition
The Galloway Hoard: Viking-Age Treasure
–Visitors were able to see cleaned and conserved objects from the Hoard, revealing intricate decoration not seen since the objects' burial more than 1,000 years ago. - Exhibition
Scotland’s Precious Seas
–Scotland’s coast stretches for 18,672 km and Scotland’s seas cover 462,263 km2, more than six times its land area. From its shores the seabed plunges from shallow seas less than 20 metres deep to more than two kilometres deep, where… - Exhibition
Tyrannosaurs
–The most comprehensive exhibition ever mounted on tyrannosaurs is coming to the National Museum of Scotland! Tyrannosaurs will explore the most feared and revered of all dinosaurs, bringing the latest palaeontological discoveries to life… - Exhibition
Parasites: Battle for Survival
–This exhibition explored the challenges we face in fighting five of the most persistent parasites and discover the people who are fighting against them – from scientists and researchers in the laboratory to the local communities and… - Exhibition
Wild and Majestic: Romantic Visions of Scotland
–Dramatic highland landscapes, heroic histories, tartan and bagpipes are among the defining images of Scotland for many people around the world today. This exhibition considered the origins of these ideas and explored how they were used to… - Exhibition
Body Beautiful: Diversity on the Catwalk
–This exhibition looked at how today’s fashion industry is challenging perceptions and championing alternative ideals of beauty on the catwalk, in advertising, editorial and behind the camera. - Exhibition
Conscience Matters
–The reintroduction of conscription meant that British citizens were expected to contribute directly to the war effort. To gain exemptions from conscription on the grounds of conscience, individuals were required to appear before a tribunal… - Exhibition
Robots
–From early mechanised human forms to today’s cutting-edge technology, this major exhibition reveals our 500-year quest to make machines human. - Exhibition
Embroidered Stories: Scottish Samplers
–This exhibition provided an insight into the lives of children in the 18th and 19th centuries through a unique collection of Scottish samplers on loan from American collector Leslie B. Durst. - Exhibition
Rip It Up: The Story of Scottish Pop
–This was the first major exhibition dedicated to Scottish pop music. It explored the musical culture of the nation over more than half a century, from influential indie pioneers to global superstars. - Exhibition
Tim Peake’s Spacecraft
–This display showcased the Soyuz spacecraft used for European Space Agency Astronaut Tim Peake’s Principia Mission to the International Space Station.As the only Scottish venue on the tour of this spacecraft, this was an unmissable chance…