National Museum of Scotland | National Museums Scotland Visitor information for National Museum of Scotland Admission details: Free entry Find us: Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF Tel: 0300 123 6789 Plan your visit Opening hours: Open daily, 10:00 - 17:00 Closed 25 Dec. Open 26 Dec, 12:00 – 17:00. Open 1 Jan, 12:00 – 17:00. Featured Exhibition Giants Saturday 31 January Monday 14 September Discover life-sized 3D sculptures of colossal prehistoric creatures in this immersive, family friendly exhibition - tickets now on sale. National Museum of Scotland Find out more What's on Event Find Out Fridays 5 Sep 25 - 26 Jun 2026, every Friday afternoon during term time 13:30 – 16:00 Drop-in Friday fun for families of all ages. Free National Museum of Scotland Find out more Event Centre for Open Learning: Discovering Decorative Arts 15 Apr-17 Jun 2026, Wednesdays 14:00-16:00 Discover how technology, trade, belief systems, and industry have shaped decorative art in this ten week course from the University of Edinburgh. Sold out National Museum of Scotland Find out more Event Centre for Open Learning: Colour in Science and Nature 16 Apr - 14 May 2026, Thursdays 14:00-15:30 Explore colour throughout science and nature in this five week course from the University of Edinburgh. Sold out National Museum of Scotland Find out more See what else is on Membership Enjoy fantastic savings, with unlimited free entry to all our museums and exhibitions, and invitations to exclusive Member events. Become a member See and do With thousands of amazing objects across multiple galleries, the Museum offers you a world of discovery all under one roof. Find out more Families All you need to know for a great family visit at the museum. Find out more Planning a school visit? All the information you need to plan a visit for your class. Stories from the collections What is the Peebles Hoard? Archaeology, Scotland The Peebles Hoard is a spectacular collection of bronze, leather and wooden material. Dating to the Late Bronze Age (c.1000-800 BCE), it contains several hundred elements from a complex set of objects. A complete sword in a wooden scabbard… Short read A 1000-year-old star catcher Science and technology Written by Dr Rebekah Higgitt This astrolabe was made by Muhammad ibn al-Ṣaffār in Córdoba in Al-Andalus (now Spain) during the period of Umayyad rule. It dates to the year 417 in the Islamic lunar calendar, which equates to 22 February 1026 to 10 February 1027 CE.This… Long read 6 highlights from our library Art and design, History and cultures Written by Morven Donald Founded by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the library at National Museum Scotland received its first book in 1781 – which is still on our shelves. Over the past 234 years, the library has gathered a wide-ranging and often… Listicle 'I am yours': 11 Scottish posy rings History and cultures, Scotland Written by Dr Georgia Vullinghs Posy rings are some of the most evocative objects of love in National Museums Scotland's collections. These finger rings are named for the short inscriptions engraved on the inside of their band. Listicle View more stories Search our collection Our online database contains a selection of the 12 million objects and specimens in our collections. Start searching now Support us Our museums need your support to protect the objects in our care and bring their stories to life. Make a donation Awards