Exhibitions & Displays
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Audubon’s Birds of America
Until 8 May 2022
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3
Ticketed, £0-£10
This exhibition examines the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, most coveted and largest books.
Published as a series between 1827 and 1838, Birds of America by John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a landmark work which achieved international renown due to the epic scale of the project and the book’s spectacular, life-sized ornithological illustrations.
Audubon’s Birds of America showcases 46 unbound prints from National Museums Scotland’s collection, most of which have never been on display before, as well as a rare bound volume of the book, on loan from the Mitchell Library. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to see so much of Audubon’s work in one place.
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
Book now nms.ac.uk/BirdsofAmerica
The Typewriter Revolution
Until 11 Sep 2022
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry
The typewriter’s social and technological influence is revealed in this exhibition examining its role in society, arts, and popular culture. It traces the effect and evolution of typewriters across more than 100 years, from weighty early machines to modern style icons.
The impact of the typewriter has been much wider than simply speeding up the way we write. It helped revolutionise the world of work and change the lives of working women in particular. Typewriters helped them launch their own businesses at a time when female employers were rare and became a vital weapon in the fight for the vote.
Visit nms.ac.uk/Typewriters
Inspiring Walter Scott
Until 8 Jan 2023
Exhibition Gallery 4, Level 1
Free entry
Following the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth, experience his novels through objects that inspired him.
In this small exhibition discover how Scott drew upon real historical objects for inspiration, placing objects alongside Scott’s words, and the stories in which they feature. While you view these fascinating objects, you can listen to an actor reading extracts from these tales.
In association with Walter Scott 250: Celebrating 250 Years of Scotland’s Greatest Storyteller and supporting Year of Stories 2022.
Visit nms.ac.uk/walterscottexhibition
Book of Hours
31 Mar – 3 Aug 2022
Kingdom of the Scots gallery (Level 1)
Free
Explore the pages of an illustrated prayer book featuring a handwritten poem by a young Mary, Queen of Scots in this display.
Written in Latin on vellum, the Book of Hours contains 40 exquisite illuminations by a 16th century Master artist. Used for private worship, it belonged to Mary’s great aunt Louise de Bourbon, Abbess of Fontevraud, who is believed to have gifted this precious volume to the young queen.
The book will be exhibited in the Kingdom of the Scots gallery, in a display alongside other objects associated with Mary, Queen of Scots. Six different pages within the book will be revealed, with a new page displayed every three weeks. A QR code will allow you to scroll through the vividly illustrated pages in detail.
The Book of Hours is on loan to National Museums Scotland from The Pininski Foundation, Liechtenstein.
Visit nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events
Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life
1 Jul – 13 Nov 2022
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3
Ticketed
Explore the history of anatomical study, from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders.
This exhibition will look at the social and medical history surrounding the practice of dissection. It will trace the relationship between anatomy, its teaching and cultural context and the bodies that were dissected. Looking at Edinburgh’s role as an international centre for medical study, the exhibition will offer insight into the links between science and crime in the early 19th century.
Supported by Baillie Gifford Investment Managers.
Visit nms.ac.uk/Anatomy
Events
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Edinburgh Science Festival 2022
9 Apr – 24 Apr 2022
10:00 – 17:00
The Edinburgh Science Festival brings two weeks of science-fuelled exploration to the National Museum of Scotland, from free interactive exhibits to family workshops and adult talks.
The Grand Gallery will be home to DataSphere, a multi-media exploration of the information driving our world. Elsewhere in the museum get-hands on with amazing drop-in experiments from the University of Edinburgh, and children’s workshops exploring everything from Creative Coding to Disease.
Adults can enjoy a series of fascinating talks and debates on topics from climatology and the philosophy of science to death, folklore and the cities of the future. Speakers include A.C. Grayling, Jim Al-Khalili, Alice Bell and Mary Roach.
The DataSphere will also be transformed after dark with bars, a DJ and exclusive activities just for grown-ups. Take the chance to have as much fun as the kids as you send, swipe and scroll through the data that drives our world.
To book or find out more, visit the Edinburgh Science Festival website.
*NEW* Centre for Open Learning: Victorian Scotland
21 Apr – 23 Jun 2022
11:00-13:00
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4
£175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)
National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses – a great way to explore the national collections and their wider history with experts.
This 10-week course uses selected items from the museum’s collections as the basis for studying Victorian Scotland. Using a different historical object each week, students will consider the political, economic, industrial, imperial, cultural and social history of Scotland in this period of enormous change and creativity.
The course will be led by Helen Rapport PGCE, M.A., PhD.
Book now nms.ac.uk/VictorianScotland
*NEW* Centre for Open Learning: Georgian Scotland
21 Apr – 23 Jun 2022
14:00-16:00
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4
£175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)
National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses – a great way to explore the national collections and their wider history with experts.
This 10-week course explores Scotland’s great changes and developments from 1714–1815. Making extensive use of National Museums Scotland’s collections, the course covers the Enlightenment and the growth of universities, trade, transportation and industry, as well as the impact of Jacobite rebellions and events overseas, from France and Spain to the American colonies.
The course will be led by Helen Rapport PGCE, M.A., PhD.
Book now nms.ac.uk/GeorgianScotland
*NEW* Centre for Open Learning: Discovering the National Collections:
Jewellery from Antiquity to Present Day
22 Apr – 20 May 2022
11:00-13:00
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4
£75 for 5 sessions (concessions available)
National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses – a great way to explore the national collections and their wider history with experts.
This course will use the museum collections to introduce the extraordinarily diverse world of jewellery. From antiquity to the present day, we will explore our fascination with adornment to discover how trade, culture and craftsmanship pushed the boundaries of jewellery making around the world.
This course is led by Karen A Clulow BA MA FSA Scot, and will be taught within a range of galleries in the National Museum of Scotland.
Book now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events
*NEW* Festival Family Encounters Day
7 May 2022
10:00-16:30
Grand Gallery
Free, drop-in. Some events may have timed slots and require sign-up on the day.
The Edinburgh International Children’s Festival opens on Saturday 7 May with Family Encounters at the National Museum of Scotland. Come along to get curious, creative and enjoy specially commissioned performances from Scottish based artists.
All events at Family Encounters on 7 May are free. Some may have timed slots and require sign-up on the day.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events
National Museum of Rural Life
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR
Open 10:00–17:00 daily
*NEW* Bird Bingo
1 Apr – 30 Apr 2022
10:00-17:00
A trail around the museum
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Come and play Bird Bingo at the National Museum of Rural Life, can you find all the birds hiding around the museum?
Using the clues on our family trail sheet, see if you can spot different birds in our museum galleries and learn fun facts about them on your journey.
This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery
Find out more nms.ac.uk/birdbingo
*NEW* Spring Explorers
11 Apr – 14 Apr 2022
10:30-15:30
Learning Centre and Theatre
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Become a Spring Explorer this school holiday with family storytelling and lots of sustainable crafts.
Hear a story about farm animals, and make a bird feeder, paper pot for planting or a beautiful egg box flower to take home.
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery
Find out more about the activities and their dates nms.ac.uk/springexplorers
*NEW* Woolly Weekend
28 May – 29 May 2022
11:00-16:00
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Visit the National Museum of Rural life to celebrate our woolly wonders. See our shearer at work with the Scottish Blackface sheep and enjoy wool-themed family crafts and activities.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/woollyweekend
National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF
From 1 Apr, Open daily 10:00 – 16:00
*NEW* Make Do and Mend
19 Apr – 22 Apr 2022
11:00-16:00
Concorde Hangar
Free with museum admission
Find out about the sustainability skills that people used during and after the Second World War with hands-on, family-friendly activities.
Discover original Second World War RAF items and find out how people reused these objects creatively in the times of austerity after the war.
Visitors can also try “French” knitting or book tickets for the “Bundle and Steam” fabric printing workshops.
This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery
Find out more and book nms.ac.uk/makedoandmend
*NEW* Dig for Victory
8 May 2022
11:00-16:00
Free with museum admission
Find out how people grew and cooked their own food during the Second World War with cooking demonstrations, talks, tours and hands-on family activities.
Discover the challenges of wartime cooking with food historian Nichola Fletcher and find out about the fruit and vegetables that were grown on the airfield. Families can also join drop-in workshops to create a wildflower seed bomb or make a paper pot to take home.
This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery
Find out more nms.ac.uk/digforvictory
Online
The Joy of Birds
31 Mar 2022
19:30-20:30
Online
Free, with optional donation
Join David Lindo and Duncan Orr-Ewing to celebrate the joy that birds bring us, the urgent threats they face, and the science and conservation work protecting them.
David Lindo, also known as The Urban Birder, is a wildlife broadcaster, nature writer and urban wildlife educationalist. He is Vice-President of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Honorary President of the Colombia Bird Fair, and was voted 7th most influential person in Wildlife by BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Duncan Orr-Ewing is Head of Species and Land Management for RSPB Scotland.
This event includes live Q&A.
Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery
Book Now nms.ac.uk/JoyofBirds
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For booking, opening times and location details, contact National Museums Scotland on 0300 123 6789