Economy | National Museums Scotland
Our four museums make an important contribution to the creation and promotion of world-class culture in Scotland which makes it a more attractive place to live, work and visit.
The National Museum of Scotland plays a major role in the cultural and heritage appeal of Edinburgh as a tourist destination, attracting large numbers of domestic and overseas visitors to the city.
In 2024, the Museum attracted 2,314,974 visits. This makes it the most visited tourist attraction in Scotland, and the most visited museum in the UK outside London (Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, March 2025). The museum is also the 28th most visited museum in the world (Art Newspaper, April 2025).
In 2025, we commissioned Biggar Economics to undertake a study of the economic and wellbeing impact of our work.
It was estimated that in the financial year 2024/25, National Museums Scotland contributed:
£308.7 million Gross Value Added (GVA) for the Scottish economy and supported nearly 8,500 jobs.
£33.3 million in wellbeing benefits.
Wellbeing benefits come from the contribution to national wellbeing by providing meaningful jobs, volunteering roles and learning opportunities, stimulating and rewarding visitor experiences and a rich and varied learning and engagement programme.
This means that as an organisation we generate nearly £13 for every £1 of direct investment.
Looking at the impact of the National Museum of Scotland as a single museum, it contributed:
£238.2 million Gross Value Added (GVA) and 6,501 jobs.
£26.5 million in wellbeing benefits.
Our museums
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street, Old Town, City of Edinburgh
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National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian
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National Museum of Rural Life
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride
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National War Museum
Castlehill, Old Town, City of Edinburgh
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Strategic Plan
Find out about our strategy for 2022-2027.
Search our collections
Over 820,000 objects from the National Collection can be accessed online.
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Community and access
Our community engagement and outreach work encourages greater access to our museums and engages communities across Scotland with the National Collection.
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Discover
Explore and learn about about objects from the National Collection through a range of articles, video, and audio content
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International work
Beyond Scotland, international collaborations allow us to share knowledge, learn from others and make our treasures available to the widest possible audience.
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