Important type specimen discovered on display at the National Museum of Scotland.

National Museums Scotland launched its first national strategy in 2006 and since then our work across the country has gone from strength to strength.

Discover the classic Ruston steam excavator, and find out how our conservation team restored it to its former glory.

Find out how this revolutionary telescope was invented, and how it found a home at the National Museum of Scotland.

Visitors to the Scotland Transformed gallery at National Museum of Scotland cannot miss the mighty Newcomen engine.

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.

Discover how research and collecting at National Museums Scotland is reshaping understandings of Scotland in the past as we take a closer look at a very special Roman object with surprising Egyptian origins.

From the early 20th century, the tractor helped to transformed farm life in Scotland. There are several examples on display in the collection at the National Museum of Rural Life, East Kilbride.

Purchase an e-gift voucher, which can be used for tickets to paid exhibitions and events at the National Museum of Scotland, National Museum of Flight and National Museum of Rural Life. Our e-gift vouchers can also be used to buy National Museums Scotland Membership to allow free, unlimited entry to all our museums and exhibitions.

Behind this frightening-looking mask, worn as a disguise by the outlawed Covenanting minister Alexander Peden, lies a fascinating story of rebellion and religious conviction.

Discover how an extra-terrestrial exhibit was made ready for display in the National Museum of Scotland.

We trace the story of the Australian mammals in the Natural World galleries at the National Museum of Scotland and meet the rare numbat.

This small display highlighted a selection of the recent acquisitions at National Museums Scotland.

Meet Ching Ching the panda, one of the world’s most endangered species in Survival at National Museum of Scotland.

TBC

Plan the perfect trip to the National Museum of Flight

Discover how the skull of a 40ft whale, which captured the heart of the nation, has become a permanent feature at the National Museum of Scotland.

In the early 18th century, natural history was an increasingly popular pastime and many people visited fields and ponds, often bringing a microscope, to investigate the flora and fauna.

Plan the perfect trip to the National Museum of Rural Life

This tent was a home-made 'mini' vigil travelling stall used by members of the Democracy for Scotland campaign.

Natural Sciences staff have been participating in this year's Scottish Geology Festival.

Maori craftsmanship and museum conservation bring to life one of our most unusual and intriguing objects.

Visitors discovered the diversity of life in Scotland’s seas and the many threats facing our marine life.

This display highlights a small selection from our Scottish History & Archaeology collections, showing how research and collecting at National Museums Scotland is reshaping understandings of Scotland in the past, and reflecting the Scotland of today for future generations of museum visitors.

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

In 2013, National Museums Scotland acquired one metal sculpture and one work on paper by contemporary Australian artist Danie Mellor.

Our Museum Socials series of events are created for anyone affected by Dementia and their relatives, friends and supporters.

Join Galloway Hoard researcher Dr Adrián Maldonado as he reacts to depictions of the Viking Age in movies, TV and video games.

Since 2012, young people from across Scotland have worked with our staff and at four partner museums to explore where they come from.

These four unique instruments were specially created for Performance and Lives gallery at the National Museum of Scotland by internationally renowned composer and artist Victor Gama.

The Lewis chess pieces live in the National Museum of Scotland. Colour them in or cut out and make your own chess piece here.

In this series, get to know people from across our museums, the spaces they work in and the objects they are inspired by.

Discover the life of the National Bard through the collections of National Museums Scotland.

Download our family trail to help you plan a structured visit to the National Museum of Scotland.

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

Discover how objects in the museum’s collections can help us explore Scotland’s involvement in the Atlantic slave trade and the abolitionist movement.

This contemporary piece by sculptor Michael Eden celebrates the architectural styles of the National Museum of Scotland.

Discover how this traditional Scottish instrument was commissioned for the Performance and Lives gallery in the National Museum of Scotland.

The Making Circles schools project invited children to be inspired by National Museums Scotland’s collections to create new Circular Economy products.

From Samurai treasures to tiny netsuke, the National Museum of Scotland has the largest Japanese collection in Scotland.

A unique, full-length mummy shroud, which is over 2,000 years old yet is still in remarkable condition, has been discovered in National Museums Scotland’s collections.

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.

A new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland showcasing artworks created in response to the climate crisis in Australia and the Pacific Islands.

Explore a range of activities suitable for pupils working at Early, First and Second Levels including: - Mandarin - Writing a story - Maths and numeracy

Preparing for the Art of Glass exhibition at National Museum of Scotland.