National Museums Scotland Listings

WHAT’S ON AT NATIONAL MUSEUMS ACROSS SCOTLAND

Exhibitions & displays 

National Museum of Scotland      
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF     
Open 10:00–17:00 daily

Monkeys: Our Primate Family
Until 30 Nov
10:00-17:00
Ticketed

See some of the rarest and most endangered primates on Earth in Monkeys: Our Primate Family at the National Museum of Scotland. This exhibition explores the remarkable lives of our primate relatives and demonstrates how they have adapted to survive in different habitats. The exhibition brings together more than 50 species of monkeys, apes, lemurs and lorises.

Book your ticket now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions/monkeys-our-primate-family

Cold War Scotland
Until 4 Jan 2026
10:00 – 17:00
Free

Scotland’s unique geography and topography provided a useful base for Allied military preparations and research during the Cold War, a 40-year nuclear stand-off between the USA and the Soviet Union following the end of the Second World War. Cold War Scotland is an output of Materialising the Cold War, a collaborative research project between National Museums Scotland and the University of Stirling. The project explores how the Cold War heritage is represented and how museums can adapt to tell this story in future. The exhibition will explore both the visible and invisible legacies of the war in Scotland.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/ColdWarScotland

Events

National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Open 10:00–17:00 daily

Science Saturday
27 Sep
10:30-15:30
Hawthornden Court, Level 1 & Event Space, Level 2
Free, drop in

Celebrate Maths Week Scotland at the museum with crafts, games and puzzles. Unleash your creativity with our maths challenges. Build a Scottish wild animal with LEGO® or design and draw your own animals adapted to suit different climates.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/events/science-saturday

Legends, Myths and Maths: A Journey Through Scotland
28 Sep
11:00-12:00
Auditorium Level 1
Free, booking required

Join author David Macphail to explore the myths, legends, wildlife and landscapes of Scotland, with hidden maths. A fun and interactive talk for families presented by Maths Week Scotland.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/events/legends-myths-and-maths

In Conversation: Peter Ross and Fraser Hunter
28 Sep
15:00-16:00
Auditorium Level 1
Tickets from £7.50

Join author Peter Ross in conversation with Dr Fraser Hunter, Principal Curator of Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology, as they discuss Peter’s new book ‘Upon A White Horse: Journeys in Ancient Britain and Ireland‘, which explores the enduring mystery of ancient sites and objects and considers the ways in which they continue to hold significance for people now.

The book includes a number of items in National Museums Scotland’s collections, including the strange and fascinating Ballachulish Figure.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/in-conversation-peter-ross

Creative Workshop: An Introduction to Drawing Scottish Wildlife
4 Oct
11:00-16:00
Tickets from £45

Take a fresh look at our Scottish wildlife collections. These informal creative workshops will focus on helping you to better understand and engage with these fascinating animals in new ways.
Using pencils, artist Meg Buick will teach you how to create various textures and marks to depict the animal world.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/creative-workshop-drawing-wildlife

Relaxed Morning: Monkeys: Our Primate Family
5 Oct
10:00 – 12:00 (Quiet space open until 12:30)
Special Exhibition Gallery 1
Tickets from £13

Join us for our monthly Relaxed Morning for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the exhibition. During this time some ambient sounds will be turned down and visitor numbers will be reduced.
A sensory backpack will also be available from the front desk to support your visit.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/relaxed-morning-monkeys

Relaxed Morning
7 Sep
10:00-12:00 (quiet space open until 12:30)
Free admission, drop-in

Join us for our monthly Relaxed Morning for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the museum.

This session is primarily for, but not limited to, families with autistic children; autistic young people and adults; adults living with dementia; adults and children with mental health problems and any other visitors with sensory needs or who may prefer a more relaxed experience, plus their families, friends and carers.

Friendly staff will be there to give you a warm welcome and support your visit, as you explore some areas of the museum without noisy interactives and videos to give a more relaxed environment.

Find out more nms.ac.uknms.ac.uk/events/relaxed-morning

Printmaking workshop with Nkem Okwechime
5 Oct
14:00-16:00
Learning Centre
Free, booking required

Enjoy a practical printmaking workshop with Scottish-Nigerian artist Nkem Okwechime. Explore how the Museum’s collections have inspired his work and try screen printing techniques to create artwork to take home.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/printmaking-workshop-with-nkem-okwechime

Spotlight On: Monkeys: Our Primate Family
7 Oct
14:00-15:00
£3, £2 Members & Conc.

Join exhibition curator, Dr Andrew Kitchener, to learn how research into our primate collections is shaping our understanding of the biology and conservation of monkey species around the world today.

The first exhibition of its kind to show primates behaving as they would in the wild, ‘Monkeys: Our Primate Family’ brings together more than 50 taxidermy specimens, including monkeys, apes, lemurs and lorises.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/spotlight-on-monkeys-our-primate-family

Six Long Legs
15-17 Oct
10:30 – 11:30 and 14:00 – 15:00
Auditorium, Events Space, Level 2
Performance fee, workshop £2

Join us for three days of insect-themed family fun inspired by the National Museums Scotland’s entomology collection. Enjoy a colourful show featuring dressing up, puppetry and mischievous anarchy. Then get creative and build your own bug in a playful and collaborative workshop.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/events/six-long-legs

Wild Wings of Hope
15-17 Oct
10:30-16:00
Grand Gallery, Living Lands gallery
Free

Explore the extraordinary journeys of migratory birds and insects with storytelling and craft. This three-day event celebrates the biodiversity and cultural heritage of Scotland and Africa.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/events/wild-wings-of-hope

Curiosity Club: Wild Wings
25 Oct
10:30-12:00
Learning Centre, Level 4
£10 (Members and Concessions £9)

Inspired by some of the museum’s most exciting collections, Curiosity Clubs are a chance for kids to explore the museum without their adult helpers through games, activities and gallery visits.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/curiosity-club

The Sunday Sketch
26 Oct
14:00-16:00
From £13

Learn how to sketch, taking inspiration from the incredible collections on display in our museum galleries. Join artist Sheena Russell to take a new look at our collections and be guided through a range of drawing activities within the museum’s galleries.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/the-sunday-sketch

National Museum of Rural Life
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR
Open 10:00–17:00 daily 

Relaxed Afternoon: National Museum of Rural Life
30 Sep
14:30-17:00
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass

Join us for our monthly Relaxed Afternoon for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the museum.

This session is primarily for, but not limited to, families with neurodivergent children; neurodivergent young people and adults; adults living with dementia; adults and children with mental health problems; and any other visitors with sensory needs or who may prefer a more relaxed experience, plus their families, friends and carers.

Book your visit nms.ac.uk/events/relaxed-afternoon-national-museum-of-rural-life

Autumn Explorers
14 Oct – 17 Oct
10:30-15:30
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass

Our Autumn Explorers family activities are back, and this time we’re going on a nocturnal nature adventure with storytelling and sustainable crafts.

Book your visit nms.ac.uk/events/autumn-explorers

National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF
Open Weekends only, 10:00–16:00 

October Half Term: Make Do and Mend
11 Oct-19 Oct
Drop-in daily from 10:00-15:00

Try knitting, repairing and re-using clothes, following advice from a Second World War publication.

Make Do and Mend was a government campaign during the Second World War to teach people how to repair and reuse existing clothing to help them get through the clothing shortage. During October half term, take part in family activities that will introduce you to some of these skills.

Book your visit nms.ac.uk/events/make-do-and-mend

Science Sunday
2 Nov
11:00-15:00
Free with museum admission.

Celebrate maths at the National Museum of Flight. Use objects from the collection to practice ‘subitizing’ – the ability to see the number of objects without counting. Find out about the museum collection with our Cryptography Challenges and explore the museum with our new maths trail.

Book your visit nms.ac.uk/events/science-sunday

Conservation Hangar Talks
Until 29 Mar 2026
14:00-15:00
Free and available as an add-on to your general admission ticket. Booking required.

Join a member of our Visitor Experience team for a behind-the-scenes look in our Conservation hangar on a free daily talk at 14:00. Find out about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display and have the chance to see conservators at work.

Book your visit nms.ac.uk/events/conservation-hangar-talks

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For booking, opening times and location details, contact National Museums Scotland on 0300 123 6789   

Twin brothers up for Unsung Hero award after 40 years at Fettes College

Twin brothers who have spent their entire working lives looking after the grounds of Fettes College in Edinburgh have been shortlisted for a Tatler Schools Award in the Unsung Hero category.

George and Kevin McNab are heading to London on Monday 29th September, with their wives, to attend the Award Ceremony at the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane Hotel.

George and Kevin McNab joined Fettes on the same day back in January 1985 when they were only 16. Following in the footsteps of their father, who worked at the school as a joiner for nearly 30 years, they quickly became part of the fabric of Fettes’ life.

The Tatler Schools Guide celebrates the top prep and public schools in the UK and the Tatler Schools Awards celebrate the exceptional contributions of UK staff, pupils and school communities.

The Unsung Heroes category shines a spotlight on individuals whose work is totally invaluable to a school and makes a lasting difference behind the scenes. George and Kevin are the only shortlisted nomination from Scotland and are up against candidates from four English schools.

Over four decades, George and Kevin have seen a lot of change, from chalk-clogged pitch markers to today’s robot line marker, affectionately nicknamed “Lionel Pitchie” and much more, witnessing thousands of children grow up at the school. But what hasn’t changed is their friendship, humour and loyalty to each other and to the school community.

Over the years, the brothers have shared countless memories at Fettes, including George meeting his future wife in the school dining hall. This moment remains one of their most cherished stories alongside decades of tending rugby pitches and cricket squares in all four seasons.

Head of Grounds Kevin McNab said: “Being nominated for this award is a huge surprise and a real honour. We never imagined that our work behind the scenes would be recognised in this way.

“It’s very humbling to be included alongside so many outstanding people and we are looking forward to attending the Award Ceremony in London.”

His brother George, who is Deputy Head of Grounds, added: “It’s wonderful to have our efforts acknowledged.

“We’ve always loved what we do and to be nominated for an award is something we’ll never forget. It feels like a recognition of the whole team, not just the two of us.”

Peter Worlledge, Bursar and Head of Operational Staff at Fettes said: “Everyone at Fettes is delighted for George and Kevin – now nicknamed our ‘Tatler Twins’! – They are pillars of our school community, who have spent over four decades going the extra mile for students and staff alike.

“Their dedication, care and humour have shaped Fettes in countless ways over the past 40 years and their contributions to our school are innumerable.

“This nomination is a fitting recognition of everything they have done for generations of students and staff, and we hope they enjoy the experience of attending this prestigious event.”

The winners of the Tatler Schools Awards 2026 will be announced at the awards ceremony on Monday 29 September 2025.

Scotland’s new health and social care app

MyCare is set to be rolled out to Scots in Spring

MyCare.scot, Scotland’s new health and social care online app, will be made available to everyone across Scotland from April 2026, following an initial launch in Lanarkshire in December.

The new online service will transform how people access and interact with health and social care services. Users will be provided with a secure digital identity, access to some personal information and the national service finder from NHS inform.

The initial launch in Lanarkshire will be targeted at dermatology outpatients. It will be evaluated thoroughly, with the app’s development reflecting user feedback and experience before being rolled out progressively across Scotland from April.

Following initial roll-out, MyCare will be expanded to hospital-based services, before including other areas of the health and social care system, including GP practices, pharmacy, social work and social care.

Today’s announcement coincides with the final day of Scotland’s National Innovation Week. Once the rollout is complete, MyCare will be the most wide-ranging app offered to patients anywhere in the UK.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “MyCare.scot is the single biggest digital innovation in Scotland’s health and social care system and will revolutionise how people manage and receive their healthcare.

“The introduction of this app will be a landmark moment for Scotland and aligns with the commitments this Government has made to bringing down waiting lists, and making care more personal and closer to home.

“Our initial launch in NHS Lanarkshire will help us ensure the MyCare app is robust, safe, secure, and meets peoples’ needs. I am delighted we will then see a population-wide rollout from April and we have today published a high-level summary rollout plan setting out our approach.

“We have worked closely with NHS Education for Scotland and key stakeholders to develop MyCare.scot, and I want to thank everyone who has worked hard to help us reach this stage and to ensure we deliver rollout of the app across the country from April.” 

Further information is available at Digital Front Door – Digital Healthcare Scotland

Reforming post-school funding

Stage 1 vote backed by MSPs

Legislation to simplify the funding system for learners at college, university and apprentices in Scotland has been given in-principle backing by MSPs.

They voted by 62 to 39 to endorse the general principles of the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill, ensuring it passes Stage 1 and proceeds to Stage 2 in the Scottish Parliament.

If passed, the Bill will see responsibility for funding national training programmes and apprenticeships move to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) from Skills Development Scotland (SDS). This will consolidate responsibility for provision of tertiary education and training within a redesigned SFC.

The Bill would also strengthen the SFC’s governance powers to allow for more effective oversight of colleges and higher education institutions, including a greater focus on their financial sustainability and the needs of learners.

Higher and Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson said: “At its core, this Bill would better enable funding to go where it matters most, supporting the skills, services and innovation that our economy and learners need to thrive.

“The Bill has been publicly backed by key sector organisations including the Scottish Training Federation, Federation of Small Businesses, Universities Scotland and Colleges Scotland.  

“This legislation intends to help build a more coherent, collaborative, flexible system where colleges, universities and training providers all play a collaborative role in delivering high-quality education and training.” 

The Scottish Government’s response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee report into the Bill shows a revised highest cost estimate of £21.6 million, a reduction of almost £12 million.

Financial sustainability reports launched

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has today (26 September 2025) published two reports that provide an aggregate picture of the financial health of Scotland’s colleges and universities.

Based on their annual accounts for academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24 and latest forecasts up to 2027-28 for colleges and 2026-27 for universities, the reports provide detailed information at sector level on the operating position, cash balances, sources of income, expenditure, liquidity, cash flow, borrowing and capital expenditure.

Both colleges and universities continue to operate in an extremely tight fiscal environment, with downward trends in cash balances showing both sectors under pressure.

While neither sector is homogenous, and the forecasts represent a snapshot in time, both colleges and universities face similar risks to their financial health, including:

  • Increasing staff costs.
  • Further flat cash settlements or unanticipated public spending cuts.
  • An uncertain macro-economic outlook, including rising inflation and persistently high interest rates.
  • Continuing high energy costs.
  • Infrastructure pressures, exacerbated by the impact of RAAC, impacting on the delivery of high-quality learning, teaching and research.
  • The requirement to invest in the achievement of public sector net zero targets.
  • The impact of UK government policies on maintaining international fee income.

The reports also outline the mitigating actions that colleges and universities are taking to adapt to challenges and uncertainties, including staff restructuring, vacancy management, freezing of non-essential spend, reviewing course portfolios, curriculum rationalisation and consolidation, moves to online and blended learning, delaying capital spend and reviewing estates strategies.

Commenting on the reports, SFC Chair, Professor Cara Aitchison, said: “While these reports represent a snapshot in time, the trends we’re seeing indicate the serious implications of the tight fiscal environment in which colleges and universities are operating and the need for action to address the challenges they face.

“We are encouraged by the proactive steps being taken by institutions as they adapt and build in resilience for this changing environment, recognising that this may include difficult decisions to secure long term financial sustainability which is a requirement of our Financial Memorandum.

“We continue to engage closely with Scottish Ministers on the case for investment in colleges and universities which are the drivers for economic growth, addressing child poverty, supporting the transition to net zero and delivering excellent public services.

“We are also increasing levels of engagement and monitoring activity for those institutions facing the highest risks to their financial health and are working with them to understand and assess plans to bring them back to a sustainable position.”

Principal of Edinburgh College, Audrey Cumberford said: “This report confirms what’s been known for a long time – that the financial situation facing colleges is dire.

“The status quo isn’t an option and urgent action needs to be taken before we see colleges fall further into financial trouble.

“Colleges have the potential to do so much more. By unlocking our potential, restructuring our funding streams and reforming our apprenticeship system we could deliver a brighter future for the whole sector.”

Doors Open Day at granton:hub

As part of our @doorsopendays activities we will have an exhibition of work from Claire Vaughan (1974 – 2024)

Overcoming multiple obstacles and health problems, Claire managed to create a collection of bright and beautiful paintings which will be showcased in her memory.

🗓️ 27th & 28th September 10am – 4pm

Please drop by and have a chat with our volunteers!

See you then.

Getting here – Madelvic House is just off the cycle path, has a dedicated car park and is a 2 minute walk from the number 19, 16 and 200 bus stop. Address is Madelvic House, Granton Park Avenue, Edinburgh EH5 1HS

Special notice: Madelvic House is not fully accessible. We do have a portable ramp to allow wheelchair and powerchair users to get into the building, which you will have access to, and once in the building there is level access but there is no wheelchair accessible toilet.

Royal Scottish Academy exhibitions programme announced for 200th anniversary year

In 2026, the Royal Scottish Academy, one of the oldest and most prestigious cultural institutions in the UK, will be 200 years old.

An independent artist-led organisation with links to every part of Scotland and beyond, the Royal Scottish Academy is planning a unique celebration involving hundreds of artists, partners, galleries and institutions across the country and with an ambitious programme at their Edinburgh home; the largest and most expansive yet, including a major focus on women artists past and present. 

Today, the RSA are delighted with the exhibition programme for the gallery spaces in Edinburgh, including major solo shows with RSA members past and present, including Joyce W. Cairns and Barbara Rae, a celebratory Annual Exhibition, the annual New Contemporaries moment for emerging Scottish artists, as well as fresh takes on the institutions collection; curated by a wide range of artists and experts from the RSA and across the Scottish artworld.

RSA Director Colin Greenslade said: “I am delighted to share the full gallery programme for our 200th anniversary year.

“There is truly something for everyone; the finest in Scottish contemporary art and architecture, made by those just beginning their careers, through to those with a revered, established practice. 

“For the Summer we have an important retrospective by Joyce W. Cairns and we round off the year with a major new exhibition by Dame Barbara Rae. As a membership organisation with threads of activity across the sector, our group exhibitions for 2026 will explore our history, our legacy and our future.

“Complementing the vast range of associated activities of our partners across the length and breadth of Scotland, the exciting programme for the galleries here in Edinburgh will be an opportunity to learn more about our extensive support of Scottish artists’ and architects’ practice during this important anniversary moment”

More information can be found here about the UK wide celebrations which were announced earlier this summer.

In chronological order the RSA exhibitions are:

Generation

24 January – 8 March 2026

Curated by Richard Murphy RSA OBE, Generation explores the idea of the architectural family tree, bringing together the work of sixteen architects, all of whom formerly worked at the Edinburgh practice of Richard Murphy Architects and have since gone on to establish their own successful practices.

Richard Murphy acknowledges Ted Cullinan (1931-2019), Richard MacCormac (1938-2014), Isi Metzstein RSA (1928-2012), Glen Murcutt and Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978) as influential on his own practice. Now he is looking to the next generation to see how this legacy is continued.

Origin Stories

24 January – 8 March 2026

Everyone remembers their favourite teacher. For art students, the intensely creative environment of art school can make their tutors hugely important influencers and facilitators of their future careers. 

Origin Stories will explore the web of artistic relationships that have manifested through the evolution of art teaching in Scotland. Since its foundation, the Royal Scottish Academy has put the support of teaching and training of artists at the heart of its endeavours.

Royal Scottish Academicians have been involved in the art teaching institutions that have evolved in Scotland over the last two hundred years.

Flowing from tutor to student, a fascinating lineage of influence can be traced from the nineteenth century to the present day, involving multiple interconnecting narratives via many hundreds of artists.

Curated by the RSA’s Head of Collections Sandy Wood, this exhibition will tell this previously untold story of influence and legacy, with artworks by some of the best-known names in Scottish art on view alongside those by emerging artists. 

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New Contemporaries (2022), artwork L-R Jack Whitelock, Jess Townley Hume, Josie Jones. Photo: Julie Howden

RSA New Contemporaries 2026

28 March – 22 April 2026

For 200 years the Royal Scottish Academy has been a champion of knowledge and education in the visual arts.

RSA New Contemporaries represents the Academy’s commitment to supporting and promoting emerging artists and architects in Scotland.

Now in its seventeenth year, it offers a unique opportunity to see some of the most promising talent in Scotland in one single, large-scale exhibition in the heart of Edinburgh. Supported by the RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest and showcasing 64 graduates selected from the 2025 degree shows, the exhibition is the best overview of the current outlook of emerging Scottish art and architecture.

The 2026 exhibition is convened by Michael Visocchi RSA, with assistance from his fellow Royal Scottish Academicians, and Architecture Convenor Christopher Platt RSA. 

The 200th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy

9 May – 14 June 2026

The Annual Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy is the largest and longest running exhibition of contemporary art in Scotland. 

A yearly barometer of Scottish art, the exhibition has been at the heart of the Academy’s activity since its founding in 1826. For 200 years, the exhibition has captured art and architecture at a moment in time, reflecting the world as it has changed with the Industrial Revolution, two world wars, the invention of the telephone and the birth of the internet. 

The 200th edition of the Annual Exhibition will be a melting pot of contemporary art from across Scotland and further afield, with all artworks shown side by side in the Academy’s grand Neoclassical galleries in the heart of Edinburgh.

This year’s Exhibition Convenor is artist Annie Cattrell RSA, assisted by Architecture Convenor Fergus Purdie RSA. This significant year for the RSA also marks the tricentenary of the birth of James Hutton (1726–1797), the ‘father of modern geology’.

Reflecting on the RSA’s philosophical and physical foundations (with the building constructed on ancient volcanic rock), Cattrell’s curation will explore the RSA’s rich and layered development over time. She has invited artists interested in ideas of geology and the passage of time, including Martin Creed, James Geurts, Cathie Pilkington and Stephen Skrynka, to take part in the exhibition.

Architecture Convenor Fergus Purdie will reflect on the themes of identity and beginnings by inviting his fellow Academicians to design an imagined, alternative building for the RSA in Glasgow. Sam Ainsley RSA has been commissioned to design banners for the iconic columned façade of the Academy building.

Chaos & Control: Printmaking in Scotland Now

27 June – 26 July 2026

This timely survey exhibition will explore the contribution of printmaking to the landscape of contemporary art in Scotland.

Described by Niki de Saint Phalle as ‘controlled chaos,’ printmaking encourages collaboration, offering artists opportunities to share knowledge and working practices.

Printmaking studios have been community hubs for artists in Scotland since the first open access workshops opened in the 1960s and 70s. Whilst other visual arts organisations have struggled to secure funding and support in Scotland in recent years, printmaking studios continue to thrive, with strong artist-led memberships and affordable art at the centre of their purpose.

Curated by acclaimed printmaker Ade Adesina RSA and the RSA’s Head of Programme Flora La Thangue, the exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to view artworks by the foremost names in contemporary Scottish printmaking, as well as lesser-known and emerging artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary printmaking techniques. 

Joyce W. Cairns: A Personal Odyssey

1 August – 2 September 2026

The Royal Scottish Academy will mount a wide-reaching exhibition exploring the career of acclaimed artist Joyce W. Cairns as part of its 200th anniversary celebrations.

As the first woman to be elected President of the RSA and an influential educator to generations of Scottish artists, Cairns has long been an important voice in Scottish art. A major exhibition of her practice is long overdue. 

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Joyce W. Cairns PPRSA, Bonjour Matelot

This exhibition will explore major bodies of work from across Cairns’ career, with the haunting characters of her Aberdeen harbour scenes on view alongside monumental paintings from her seminal War Tourist project.

Early works from the artist’s days as a student at Gray’s School of Art will be on view alongside her distinctive figurative painting, pulling from memories of her childhood and her home in the once fishing village of Footdee.

The exhibition will trace the progression of Cairns’ intensely personal, autobiographical style of painting and position her as a linchpin in the trajectory of contemporary Scottish art. 

Born in Edinburgh, Joyce W. Cairns PPRSA studied painting at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen (1966-71), and at the Royal College of Art (1971-74).

Following a fellowship at Gloucester College of Art and Design, she studied at Goldsmiths College, University of London. In 1976 she returned to Aberdeen to teach Drawing and Painting at Gray’s until 2004 when she left to complete a substantial body of work culminating in the exhibition War Tourist at Aberdeen Art Gallery. Cairns was President of the Royal Scottish Academy from 2018 to 2022. 

This 26: Contemporary Scottish Art and the Academy

12 September – 11 October 2026

Every year the Royal Scottish Academy supports hundreds of artists through awards, residencies, exhibitions and scholarships.

Since the start of this century, the Academy has given over £5.5 million to artists, many of whom have used the financial support as a springboard for professional success and artistic acclaim.

Curated by Edward Summerton RSA and Amy Cameron, This 26 will look at the recent history of the RSA’s artist opportunity programme, presenting works by 26 artists, one selected for each year of this century so far. 

200 Years

17 October – 15 November 2026

Taking cue from the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Scottish Academy, 200 Years will celebrate the rich history of Scottish art in all its forms over the last two centuries.

Reflecting the centrality of the Academy to the development of Scottish art, the exhibition will include works created by Royal Scottish Academicians since its founding in 1826.

The exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to explore paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints by the foremost artists working in Scotland over the last 200 years. 

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James Good Tunny, Interior of the Great [Octagon] Room in the shared National Gallery, RSA Annual Exhibition 1860, RSA Collections

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Ade Adesina RSA in front of Revolver II and Revolver III, Photo Alan Dimmick

Barbara Rae: Charting South 

21 November 2026 – 24 January 2027

In the wake of the hugely popular exhibition Barbara Rae: The Northwest Passage in 2018, the Royal Scottish Academy will present a major, new exhibition.

The Northwest Passage was the culmination of Barbara Rae’s travels following in the footsteps of her namesake, the explorer John Rae. The resulting body of work drew on the intense colour and light of the Arctic in monumental, luminous paintings.

Her interest piqued by the history of exploration, in late 2022 Rae took her work from one pole to the other, travelling to Antarctica to trace the ill-fated journey of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-17).

This exhibition presents a significant body of new work by Rae, relating to locations along Shackleton’s route, including South Georgia and Elephant Island. 

Born in Falkirk, Dame Barbara Rae RSA RA studied painting at Edinburgh College of Art (1961-1965). Travelling to France and Spain on a postgraduate scholarship, her early work drew upon trends of abstraction and mixed media practices in European art at the time.

Since her first solo exhibition in Edinburgh in 1967, she has gone on to exhibit worldwide. She was elected Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1980 and became a full Member in 1992.

In 1996 she was elected a Member of the Royal Academy. She holds honorary doctorates from Napier University, Aberdeen University and the University of St Andrews; and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College. 

Barbara Rae was made a dame in the New Year’s Honours 2025. 

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Dame Barbara Rae RA RSA in front of her work Exit (2015), photo Gareth Wardell.

Holyrood Committee: Sign Language law transformative, but challenges remain

Pic- Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

An Act that aims to promote the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in Scotland has significantly improved the daily lives of BSL users, according to a report by MSPs on Holyrood’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.

Stakeholders told the Committee that the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act has increased visibility of BSL, improved access to services for BSL users and delivered greater empowerment of the Deaf community. The report also concludes that national and local authority plans have helped embed BSL into public service delivery.

However, challenges remain, including a shortage of qualified interpreters, finite funding and resources for services and a lack of enforceability and accountability around BSL plans.

In its report, the Committee expresses particular concern regarding the experiences of Deaf children and young people who face challenges accessing their native language.

It is also concerned that Deaf children in mainstream schools may feel a lack of identity and sense of isolation from the wider Deaf community. In response, the Committee calls for more work to be done to increase the visibility of Deaf role models and increase the number of teachers with BSL skills.

Similarly, the Committee’s report highlights concern about access to justice. It calls for greater education for Deaf people on rights and how the justice system works, increases to the number of suitably trained Deaf experts to help survivors of crime and improvements to data recording on victims of crime to ensure that appropriate support is available for BSL users.

The report also calls for greater support for BSL users in the health service. Witnesses drew attention to Deaf people with mental health issues, calling for them to be able to communicate directly with an expert who can read their body language and understand exactly what they are saying and how that is being expressed.

Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, said: “In the 10 years since it became law, the British Sign Language Act has had a transformational impact on the lives of Deaf people, but this progress has been uneven and substantial challenges remain.

“For many Deaf people, BSL is not an additional language but their only language. That’s why we want to see the Scottish Government and public bodies continue with their commitment to consulting on and improving their support for BSL users.

“Our report makes a number of key recommendations that, if followed, will ensure that the excellent progress on implementing the BSL Act continues and that it fully achieves its aims.”

Memorial service for Professor Emeritus Sir Geoff Palmer

The life and legacy of one of Scotland’s most esteemed academics and humanitarians will be honoured at a memorial service in Edinburgh next month.

Professor Emeritus Sir Geoff Palmer KT OBE, who died in June at the age of 85, was Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, a pioneering scientist whose research transformed the global brewing industry, and a tireless campaigner for equality and justice.

Family, friends, colleagues, dignitaries and members of the public will gather at the city’s historic St Giles’ Cathedral to pay tribute to his extraordinary life and contributions.

The service will feature personal tributes, speeches, and musical performances from the University’s Chamber Choir and guest musicians.

Open to all, the ceremony will take place on Friday 11 October from 11am to 12:30pm, with doors opening at 10am. Those who wish to attend are advised to register their interest in advance.

Reflecting on Sir Geoff’s impact, Professor Richard A. Williams, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, said: “Sir Geoff was an inspiration not just to me but to colleagues past and present, and countless students around the world.

“His infectious enthusiasm and passion for education were impossible to ignore, and this University was all the richer for having such a strong association with him over the years.”

The service is being hosted jointly by Heriot-Watt University and the City of Edinburgh Council, represented by the Rt Hon Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh.

In a lasting tribute to Sir Geoff, the University has created a new scholarship in his honour. The Sir Geoff Palmer Memorial Scholarship will allow a student of Jamaican descent or citizenship to for follow in his footsteps and reflects Sir Geoff’s dedication to opportunity, inclusion, and the belief that every student deserves the chance to thrive.

For those unable to attend in person, the service will be streamed  live on YouTube. 

New digital ID scheme to be rolled out across UK

  • Prime Minister announces plans for free digital ID for those living in the UK
  • Will curb the prospect of work for illegal migrants, a significant factor driving small boat crossings
  • Scheme will also make it easier for the public to access the services they are entitled to

A new digital ID scheme will help combat illegal working while making it easier for the vast majority of people to use vital government services. Digital ID will be mandatory for Right to Work checks by the end of the Parliament.

The scheme will be available to all UK citizens and legal residents, saving time by ending the need for complicated identity checks which often rely on copies of paper records. 

Instead, the roll-out will in time make it simpler to apply for services like driving licences, childcare and welfare, while streamlining access to tax records. The new digital ID will be held on people’s phones, just as millions already use the NHS App or contactless mobile payments.

There will be no requirement for individuals to carry their ID or be asked to produce it – but digital ID will be mandatory as a means of proving your Right to Work.

This will stop those with no right to be here from being able to find work, curbing their prospect of earning money, one of the key “pull factors” for people who come to the UK illegally.

It will send a clear message that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to work, deterring people from making these dangerous journeys.

This initiative builds on the government’s crackdown on illegal working and its mission to control borders as part of the Plan for Change. Under this government, illegal working arrests have soared by 50%, and new legislation is being brought forward to help stop illegal working in the gig economy.

The proposals also follow the government’s success in deporting the first illegal migrants under the landmark UK-France returns deal last week.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “I know working people are worried about the level of illegal migration into this country. A secure border and controlled migration are reasonable demands, and this government is listening and delivering.

“Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK. It will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure. And it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits, like being able to prove your identity to access key services swiftly – rather than hunting around for an old utility bill.

“We are doing the hard graft to deliver a fairer Britain for those who want to see change, not division. That is at the heart of our Plan for Change, which is focused on delivering for those who want to see their communities thrive again.”

The plan will combat criminal gangs who promise access to the UK labour market in order to profit from dangerous, illegal channel crossings.

A new streamlined digital system to check Right to Work will simplify the process, drive up compliance, crack down on forged documents and create intelligence data on businesses that are conducting checks to help the Home Office take action on employers who are hiring illegally. 

Building on the work already underway to roll out a GOV.UK digital wallet, the digital ID will sit on people’s phones, alongside the digital driving licence which the government has already announced plans to introduce.

The government will listen to a range of views on how the service will be delivered, as part of a public consultation to be launched later this year.

In designing the digital ID scheme, the government will ensure that it works for those who aren’t able to use a smartphone, with inclusion at the heart of its design. The public consultation will engage with groups who aren’t as experienced with the digital world, like the homeless and older people, learning from other countries that have done this well. 

The scheme will be rolled out alongside an outreach programme, including face-to-face support for citizens who are struggling to access the scheme. 

This will result in a service that takes the best aspects of the digital identification systems that are already up and running around the world:

  • In Australia, citizens can access a range of private services, from banking to buying alcohol, with their digital identification, reducing the need for multiple separate accounts and pieces of paper.
  • In Estonia, digital ID has revolutionised parents’ lives by enabling access to child benefits, health records and applications for nursery places seamlessly, never having to provide the same information twice.
  • In Denmark, students can use their national digital ID to log in and automatically retrieve education records and qualifications in job and university applications.
  • And in India, the government has saved around US $10 billion annually by reducing fraud and leakages in welfare schemes.

The new plans will offer significant benefits for reducing identity theft and preserving privacy, with security at its core.

Digital ID limits personal details being shared unnecessarily, by only sharing the relevant information for the specific scenario in question. It will also use state-of-the-art encryption and user authentication to ensure data is held and accessed securely.

Scottish soldiers buried in France on the 110th anniversary of their deaths

Relatives of two World War 1 Scottish soldiers gathered in France yesterday to witness their burial with full military honours, alongside six other soldiers whose identities remain unknown

Lieutenant (Lt) James Grant Allan, 9th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders and Lance Corporal (LCpl) Gordon McPherson, 7th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, were laid to rest alongside their comrades exactly 110 years after they were killed in action in France.

The service was supported by serving soldiers from 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Lt Allan left Edinburgh University to join the Gordon Highlanders in 1914, when war was declared. He joined at the same time as his brother Nimmo, and they both went to fight in France.

He was killed on 25 September 1915, the first day of the Battle of Loos. A friend and fellow officer wrote “Jim’s men thought the world of him” and continued “I have gained from his friendship…He may have left this world but only to go to a freer one…I have been strengthened by the thought of him, or his presence”.

He was identified after artefacts found with the casualties suggested one was an officer, which narrowed their search. The families of the battalion’s 14 missing officers were traced and tested, with Lt Allan’s family proving a positive match.

LCpl McPherson was working as a tobacconist when he joined the Cameron Highlanders in November 1914 alongside his two brothers and their father.

He too was killed on 25 September 1915, a fellow soldier of his machine-gun section, described him as “the life and soul of the section. His imitations of Charles Chaplin were enjoyed very much by his comrades. His favourite song, ‘Trumpeter, what are you sounding now!’, grew to be the most popular song in the section…It was Gordon’s song. We can’t sing it now.”

LCpl McPherson was identified by a small set of buttons from the Newcastle Corporation Tramway that he had in his pocket at the time of his death. After studying the 1911 census, the War Detectives discovered that LCpl McPherson’s father worked for the Tramway so a DNA test was sent to the next of kin, which came back positive.

All the soldiers buried yesterday were discovered during construction work for a new hospital on the outskirts of Lens.

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’.

Nicola Nash, MOD War Detective said: “Lt Allan and LCpl McPherson have both been buried today 110 years after they were killed.

“With half a million British servicemen still missing from the First World War, every identity we make is a huge achievement. It has been a real privilege to give closure to their families and lay these heros to rest with honour.”

Nicholas Allan, great-nephew Lt James Allan, said: “I feel very moved and honoured by the work of the MOD that it is honouring this great-uncle of mine who I barely knew existed.

“I feel a profound sense that something has been completed. It speaks to me of all those whose bodies were never found, I feel we’re completing something for them too.

Alistair McPherson, great-nephew of LCpl Gordan McPherson, said: “It’s been emotional in a good way.

“We have known Gordon all our lives because of the letters we have got, and it’s just wonderful to have found him. He’s no longer lost.”

Jeremy Prince, CWGC France Area Director, said: “We are deeply honoured by the reburial of eight Scottish soldiers, six of whom remain unknown, at the CWGC Loos British Cemetery Extension.

“This cemetery, inaugurated just one year ago by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, was established to receive the remains of soldiers recently discovered (and those who may be found in the future) during ongoing work and research in the region.

“The ceremony also coincides with the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Loos – a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during the First World War. We are proud to offer these soldiers a final resting place worthy of their courage and service. We will remember them.”