National Museum of Scotland: Telling a National Story Through Objects

On Chambers Street in Edinburgh’s Old Town, two very different buildings tell one story. A Victorian hall of cast iron and light holds the natural world, world cultures, science and design; beside it, a modern building of golden sandstone tells the history of Scotland from prehistory onward. Together they make up the National Museum of Scotland, which recorded more than 2.3 million visits in 2025. Seeing how it combines archaeology, science, design and social history to tell a national story makes a visit far richer, and the museum is on the itinerary of our Edinburgh Festival Fringe small group tour.

From antiquaries to an industrial museum

The collections began with a learned society. The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland was founded in 1780 in the spirit of the Enlightenment, and in 1851 its collection passed into public ownership. Three years later, in 1854, the Industrial Museum of Scotland was founded, reflecting Victorian ideals of education. Renamed the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art, it opened in its first purpose-built buildings on Chambers Street in 1866.

Those buildings were designed by the engineer Captain Francis Fowke and the local architect Robert Matheson. Prince Albert laid the foundation stone in 1861, and in 1866 Prince Alfred opened the east wing and a third of the main hall. Completing Fowke’s plan took 30 years, with the west wing opening in 1890. By its jubilee in 1904 the museum was known as the Royal Scottish Museum.

The Grand Gallery

At the centre of the Victorian building is its main hall, the Grand Gallery. Its cast-iron structure rises the full height of the building, and natural light pours in from above; its design drew inspiration from the Crystal Palace in London.

Is the National Museum of Scotland free?

Yes, admission is free. In 2025 it was the most visited free attraction in Scotland.

A building for Scotland’s story

In 1985 the National Museum of Antiquities merged with the Royal Scottish Museum, which then became National Museums Scotland. A new building to tell Scotland’s own story followed: the Museum of Scotland, designed by the architects Benson & Forsyth and opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. Its walls of golden Moray sandstone, which the architect Gordon Benson described as “the oldest exhibit in the building”, and its design echo Scottish forms such as brochs and fortified tower houses.

Inside, Scotland’s history unfolds chronologically from prehistory upward, so that a visitor climbing through the building also moves forward through time. For the earlier chapters of that story, our article on the birth of Scotland is a useful companion.

One museum, many disciplines

A three-year, £47 million redevelopment led by Gareth Hoskins Architects reopened the Victorian building on 29 July 2011, and the combined museum took the name National Museum of Scotland. Ten new galleries of science and technology, and of art and design, opened in July 2016, followed by Ancient Egypt, East Asia and Ceramics galleries in February 2019. National Museums Scotland cares for some 12 million items.

The breadth is what makes the museum distinctive. Archaeology and social history in the Scottish galleries sit alongside natural history, world cultures, European art and design, and science and technology in the Victorian building, so that Scotland’s own story is told within the same walls as the wider world’s.

Objects that tell the story

Much of the museum’s power lies in individual objects. The Hunterston Brooch, made around AD 700, is one of its early medieval treasures. The Maiden, an early beheading machine, is a stark reminder of how justice was once administered. The Millennium Clock is a more recent addition to the collections on display.

Where can you see the Lewis chessmen?

In two places: the National Museum of Scotland holds 11 of the pieces, and the British Museum in London owns 82. The chessmen were discovered on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides in 1831. They were probably made between 1150 and 1200, almost all from walrus ivory. Most accounts place the find at Uig Bay, although researchers at National Museums Scotland think a site about six miles further south is more likely.

Science and Dolly the sheep

The museum also tells the story of Scottish science, and its science collections include Dolly the sheep. Born on 5 July 1996 at the Roslin Institute (now part of the University of Edinburgh), she was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, something previously thought impossible. She died on 14 February 2003 and has been on display at the museum since then.

A view from the roof

Before leaving, look for the museum’s roof garden, planted with Scottish species, which offers panoramic views across the city.

The museum on a small group tour

The tour is based in Edinburgh for eight nights in August. An orientation walk with the Program Leader introduces the city. Tickets to four Fringe performances are included, with selections confirmed once the programme is published. The itinerary also includes the National Galleries of Scotland, and two free days leave time to return to galleries you want to see in more depth. For the city’s other main sights, see our guide to Edinburgh, and for the August festivals our story of how Edinburgh became a festival city.

How much walking does the tour involve?

Around 3 to 5 kilometres a day, some of it on uneven surfaces. The tour is graded Level 1, Introductory to Moderate.

More on Edinburgh and Scotland

Our guide to places to visit in Edinburgh off the beaten track suggests quieter corners, and our country spotlight on Scotland sets the capital in its national context. To discover Scotland’s story through its objects during the city’s busiest month, join our nine-day Fringe tour in a small group of up to 16.