displays – Page 2 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

National Museums Scotland Listings

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

  
Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life    
Until 30 Oct 2022   
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3  
Ticketed, £0-£10

Explore the history of anatomical study, from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders.

This exhibition looks 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.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/anatomy   

Bernat Klein: Design in Colour       
5 Nov 2022 – 23 Apr 2023       
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3      
Free entry

Marking the centenary of his birth, Bernat Klein: Design in Colour will celebrate the work of the influential émigré textile designer. Visitors will be able to explore Klein’s creative process and varied career, from providing couture fabrics for fashion designers to his influence on modernist architecture and interior design in the UK and Scandinavia      
    

Visit nms.ac.uk/BernatKlein     

NEW Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder
Tickets on sale soon
9 Dec 2022 – 1 May 2023

Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder features eight zones filled with immersive, hands-on experiences. Travel through the Time Vortex Corridor, discover Sonic Screwdrivers, teleportation technology and much more in a TARDIS Tech room, and get up close with some of the series’ weird and wonderful creatures in the Monster Vault.

Join us for the Scottish premiere of this ground-breaking exhibition. It’s bigger on the inside!

Visit nms.ac.uk/doctor-who

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 we show 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  
  

Japanese Contemporary Design     
Until 5 Mar 2023      
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1     
Free entry      

From striking statement jewellery to prints and porcelain vases, this new free display considers how Japanese contemporary makers have combined innovative and traditional art, craft and design elements over the past five decades.   

The star object is Hitomi Hosono’s A Large Pine Tree Pool, a sculptural porcelain bowl with complex hand-carving made and acquired in 2019.

Further highlights include Junko Mori’s intricate New Pinecone Silver Organism, and colourful body adornments by jeweller Suō Emiko’s adapted from metalworking and engraving techniques traditionally used in the making of Japanese sword fittings.     
    

Visit nms.ac.uk/JapaneseContemporaryDesign       

  
Events  

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

Burke, Hare and The University of Edinburgh’s Anatomy School  
1 Oct 2022  
10:30 – 16:30  
Seminar Room, Learning Centre, Level 4  
£ 49 (concessions available)  

This one-day course with The University of Edinburgh is designed to complement the National Museum of Scotland’s major new exhibition Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life.   

Examine the study of anatomy within the context of 19th century Edinburgh, including the University’s role as an international centre for medical teaching. Uncover the circumstances that gave rise to the Burke and Hare murders in 1828, and consider the actions of William Burke, William and Margaret Hare, and anatomist Dr Robert Knox.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/burke-hare 

NEW The Beauty of Maths: Tiling, Geometry and Art
2 Oct 2022
10:00-16:30
Learning Centre, Level 2
Free

Part of Maths Week Scotland and hosted by Open University, view art pieces created by artists, mathematicians and engineers before getting hands on to create your own. Explore the exciting work of regular and aperiodic tilings through beautiful artwork and hands on 2D and 3D puzzles.

National Museums Scotland listings

Exhibitions & Displays  

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

E.Coli by Luke Jerram     
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF   
Until 31 Aug 2022     
Grand Gallery     
Free entry 

 Part of the Edinburgh Art Festival programme, this 90ft long inflatable sculpture by Bristol-based Luke Jerram (above) will be suspended from the ceiling of the National Museum of Scotland’s Grand Gallery.

The E.coli is 5 million times bigger than the real bacteria. When standing next to it, does the bacteria alter our personal sense of scale? Does it look scary, beautiful, comical or alien? Will people be attracted or repelled by it?     

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Ecoli     

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 and looks at 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    

Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life 
Until 30 Oct 2022  
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3 
Ticketed, £0-£10   

Explore the history of anatomical study, from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders.

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. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/anatomy  

Bernat Klein: Design in Colour    
5 Nov 2022 – 23 Apr 2023      
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3     
Free entry

Visit nms.ac.uk/BernatKlein    

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 we show 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
 

Japanese Contemporary Design  

National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF   
Until 5 Mar 2023     
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1    
Free entry

The star object is Hitomi Hosono’s A Large Pine Tree Pool, a sculptural porcelain bowl with complex hand-carving made and acquired in 2019.

Visit nms.ac.uk/JapaneseContemporaryDesign      

 
Events 

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

Gilded Balloon at the National Museum of Scotland    
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF   
Until 28 Aug 2022    
Ticketed 

 Gilded Balloon are back: bringing Festival fun to the National Museum of Scotland throughout August!  Bringing a colourful line-up: from science for kids to satire for grown-ups, from chat shows to live podcasts.

There’s an influencer, a ventriloquist, assorted Fringe favourites and of course a couple of Britain’s Got Talent winners.   

Performers include Scottish treasures Fred MacAulay, Lynn Ferguson and Jack Docherty, alongside Paul Zerdin and assorted puppet pals, Lost Voice Guy, the one and only Chesney Hawkes and even Boris Johnson?! Plus, our own favourite – Comedy Night at the Museum where top comedians improvise a humorous look at our amazing collection.    
   
Find out more on the Gilded Balloon website.   

Audio-Described Access Evening: Anatomy 
Special Exhibition Gallery 1  
30 Aug 2022 
17:30-19:00  
£7.50 (free accompanying carer ticket available if needed) 

Explore our fascinating Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life exhibition supported by an audio-described tour of key objects for those who are blind or visually impaired. 

Join us after-hours for an audio-described tour of Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life led by artist Juliana Capes. Explore the history of anatomical study, from artistic explorations by Leonardo da Vinci to the Burke and Hare murders. The tour will last around 45 minutes with time to explore the exhibition independently afterwards. This event is particularly aimed at those who are blind or visually impaired. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/audio-described  

Hoarding Histories: Beyond the Galloway Hoard    
10 Sep 2022    
14:00 -16:30    
Aged 14+ event    
Ticketed  

Join our expert panel as they discuss the process of hoarding across time and cultures.   

From assembling and burying, to curating and displaying, our panel will give diverse perspectives on this fascinating practice.  Presentations will include the latest research on the Galloway Hoard, hoarding in the Viking Age and Scotland’s prehistoric hoards.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/hoarding-histories    

Relaxed Access Evening: Anatomy  
13 Sept 2022 
Special Exhibition Gallery 1 
17:30 – 19:00  
£7.50 (free accompanying carer ticket available if needed) 

Join us for a relaxed after-hours visit to Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life for anyone who would prefer a calmer visit to the exhibition. During this opening of Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life, sounds will be lowered and light levels adjusted wherever possible to provide a more relaxed experience.

A quiet break-out space will also be available. A visual welcome guide will be provided in advance to help you prepare for your visit.

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

Book now nms.ac.uk/relaxed-access-evening  

NEW Burke, Hare and The University of Edinburgh’s Anatomy School
15 Sep -1 Oct 2022
10:30 – 16:30
Seminar Room, Learning Centre, Level 4
£ 49 (concessions available)

This one-day course with The University of Edinburgh is designed to complement the National Museum of Scotland’s major new exhibition Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/burke-hare

NEW Victorian Edinburgh
29 Sep – 8 Dec 2022
11:00 – 13:00
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4
£180 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 our collections and their wider history with experts.

Victorian Edinburgh considers the complex challenges and changes wrought in the period 1837–1901 within Scotland’s capital city. It examines examples of the economic, social and political context in which ‘Edinburghers’ lived, and assesses their responses to the most important Scottish, British and international events.

Book now nms.ac.uk/victorian-edinburgh

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

Bird Bingo 
Until 30 Sep 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    

Nature Track Packs   
National Museum of Rural Life, Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR    
Until 30 Sep 2022   
10:00 – 17:00   
Borrow from the ticket desk   
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass   

Explore more at the National Museum of Rural Life this summer with our new Nature Track Packs.   Each pack contains fun ideas and activities to encourage children to engage all their senses to explore the countryside on a walk up to the farm. Nature Track Packs are available to borrow on a first come, first served basis over the summer – just ask on arrival at our ticket desk, then return the pack to the desk once your Track Pack adventure is complete.   

Visit nms.ac.uk/trackpacks   

NEW Tractor Tots 
30 Sep – 11 Nov 2022  
10:15 – 10:55  
Ticketed

Each session will take place in a different location at the museum and working farm, and will feature handling objects from our learning boxes, singing, storytelling, rhymes, actions and sensory play to learn all about life in the countryside. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/tractor-tots 

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

Summer Satchels   
Until 23 Sep 2022   
10:00 – 17:00   
Free with museum admission   
Just ask at the desk in the Concorde Hangar. 

See the National Museum of Flight in a different way this summer with our new family activity satchels.  Each satchel contains all the equipment and simple instructions for five playful activities to help children explore the museum from a different perspective. The activities are designed to use outside on our spacious site.   

Visit nms.ac.uk/summersatchels   

NEW Operation Sabotage 
29 & 30 Oct 2022
Age 14+ event   
Ticketed

Operation Sabotage is an escape room experience for 4-8 people that lasts up to an hour. Working as a team, you must race against the clock in two Second World War-themed rooms to decipher the identity of the saboteur before it’s too late.  

Book now nms.ac.uk/operation-sabotage   

Online 

Silent Teachers: The Story of Modern Body Donation   
13 Sep 2022   
19:30 – 20:30   
Free, with optional donation

Inspired by our current exhibition, Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life, our expert panel will discuss the modern approach to anatomical study and body donation in this online event.  In the 18th century, Edinburgh was Britain’s leading centre for medical teaching. As anatomists sought to understand the human body, the demand for bodies to dissect and study vastly outstripped legitimate supply.

As a result, grave robbing became common practice. Since then, legislation has ensured bodies used today are acquired, with proper consent, through donation.  From their perspectives as exhibition curator, professor, medical student and living donor, our expert panel will discuss the modern approach to body donation and contrast the ethics, practices and beliefs of today with those from two centuries ago.   

Book now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events   

Members’ Spotlight: From Table to Melting Pot – Roman Silver from Traprain Law
4 Oct 2022
18:30 -19:30
Free, booking required

Book now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

NEW Ancient African Queens: New Perspectives on Black History
27 Oct 2022
19:30 – 20:30
Free, with optional donation

Join our panel as they discuss how reassessing 19th and 20th century colonial attitudes can bring new perspectives to fascinating aspects of ancient Egyptian culture and its place in African history.

Book now nms.ac.uk/exhibition-events

 
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Follow us on Facebook…facebook.com/NationalMuseumsScotland 

Follow us on Instagram…instagram.com/nationalmuseumsscotland/ 

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

What’s On at National Museums Scotland

EVENTS, DISPLAYS and EXHIBITIONS

EXHIBITIONS & DISPLAYS  

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

Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life 
2 Jul – 13 Nov 2022 
Member Preview Day 1 Jul 
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 

The Silver Casket 
Until 1 Aug 2022 
Hawthornden Court
Free entry

See an iconic piece of Scotland’s national heritage, the silver casket believed to have been owned by Mary, Queen of Scots. Made in Paris, probably between 1493 and 1510, the casket is a superb and extremely rare work of early French silver.  It is likely that its long-standing association with Mary and her downfall has kept it preserved for over 450 years. 

The silver casket is on display in Hawthornden Court at the National Museum of Scotland. From August 2022, it will be on permanent display in the Kingdom of the Scots gallery alongside other objects associated with Mary. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Silver-Casket  

E.Coli by Luke Jerram 
3 Aug – 31 Aug 2022 
Grand Gallery
Free entry

 Part of the Edinburgh Art Festival programme, this 90ft long inflatable sculpture by Bristol-based Luke Jerram will be suspended from the ceiling of the National Museum of Scotland’s Grand Gallery. The E.coli is 5 million times bigger than the real bacteria. When standing next to it, does the bacteria alter our personal sense of scale? Does it look scary, beautiful, comical or alien? Will people be attracted or repelled by it?  

Find out more nms.ac.uk/Ecoli  

Japanese Contemporary Design 
Until 5 Mar 2023
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1
Free entry 

The star object is Hitomi Hosono’s A Large Pine Tree Pool, a sculptural porcelain bowl with complex hand-carving made and acquired in 2019. Further highlights include Junko Mori’s intricate New Pinecone Silver Organism, and colourful body adornments by jeweller Suō Emiko’s adapted from metalworking and engraving techniques traditionally used in the making of Japanese sword fittings. 

Visit nms.ac.uk/JapaneseContemporaryDesign   

 
The Typewriter Revolution 
Until 11 Sep 2022 
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3 
Free entry 

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 

Visit nms.ac.uk/WalterScottExhibition 
 

Book of Hours
Until 3 Aug 2022 
Kingdom of the Scots gallery (Level 1) 
Free entry

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 

Bernat Klein: Design in Colour
5 Nov 2022 – 23 Apr 2023
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry

Marking the centenary of his birth, Bernat Klein: Design in Colour will celebrate the work of the influential émigré textile designer.   

Visitors will be able to explore Klein’s creative process and varied career, from providing couture fabrics for fashion designers to his influence on modernist architecture and interior design in the UK and Scandinavia  

Visit nms.ac.uk/BernatKlein 

 
EVENTS 

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

Concert for a Summer’s Night
21 Jun 2022 
19:15 doors open, 20:00 concert starts
Grand Gallery
Ticketed 

Mark the summer solstice with string collective Scottish Ensemble. Be taken on an atmospheric journey through an eclectic mix of musical styles, including Mozart’s scampering, energetic ‘Magic Flute Overture’, Vask’s shimmering ‘Musica Serena’ and Dvorak’s ‘American Quartet’, evoking expansive, wide-open vistas. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events  

Spotlight On: Anatomy
13 Jul 2022 
14:00 – 15:00
Auditorium, Level 1
Free, with optional donation 

Join exhibition curators Tacye Phillipson and Sophie Goggins as they discuss our major exhibition Anatomy: A Matter of Death and Life. Dig deeper into the themes explored in our summer exhibition in this free curator talk to kick off our Anatomy events programme. Revisit your favourite stories from the exhibition or find out more before your visit.    

Find out more nms.ac.uk/spotlightanatomy  

Gilded Balloon at the National Museum of Scotland
3 Aug – 28 Aug 2022
Ticketed

Gilded Balloon are back: bringing Festival fun to the National Museum of Scotland throughout August!

Brining a colourful line-up: from science for kids to satire for grown-ups, from chat shows to live podcasts. There’s an influencer, a ventriloquist, assorted Fringe favourites and of course a couple of Britain’s Got Talent winners.

Hoarding Histories: Beyond the Galloway Hoard
10 Sep 2022
14:00 -16:30
Aged 14+ event
Ticketed
 

Join our expert panel as they discuss the process of hoarding across time and cultures.

From assembling and burying, to curating and displaying, our panel will give diverse perspectives on this fascinating practice. 

The keynote address will be delivered by Professor Richard Bradley, Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of Reading.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/hoarding-histories

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

Bird Bingo 
Until 31 Aug 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 

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

Awesome Bricks
18 Jun –19 Jun 2022 
10:00-17:00
Ticketed

Join us for one of Scotland’s biggest LEGO events. See a host of unique and inspiring LEGO constructions, including a 3D hot air balloon festival, and get hands-on in our blue brick build zone. 

Awesome Bricks is produced in partnership with Warren Elsmore. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/awesomebricks 

Behind the Scenes Tours
25 May – 26 Oct 2022 
11:00–12:00 & 14:00–15:00
Object Store
Free with museum admission
Booking required 

Find out about our collection of aero-engines and propellers on a curator-led tour of our Object Store. Join Aviation Curator Ian Brown for one of our regular guided tours of the museum’s Object Store. Explore some of the collections not normally on public view and discover the fascinating stories behind them. 

Find out more nms.ac.uk/behind-the-scenes-tours  

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

What’s On at National Museums of Scotland

Exhibitions & Displays

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

Japanese Contemporary Design
Until 5 Mar 2023
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1
Free Entry

Visit nms.ac.uk/JapaneseContemporaryDesign

The Typewriter Revolution
Until 11 Sep 2022
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry

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 we show 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
Until 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.

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
2 Jul – 13 Nov 2022
Member Preview Day 1 Jul
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.

Supported by Baillie Gifford Investment Managers.

Visit nms.ac.uk/Anatomy

Bernat Klein: Design in Colour
5 Nov 2022 – 23 Apr 2023
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry

Marking the centenary of his birth, Bernat Klein: Design in Colour will celebrate the work of the influential émigré textile designer.

Visit nms.ac.uk/BernatKlein

Events

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

How The Nose Got Its Sneeze
11 – 12 Jun 2022
10:00-16:45
Event Space, Level 2
Free sign up on the day

In this fun and immersive play adventure, children will explore what happens inside the nose when things like smoke, dust and pollen get inside and how the nose defends our precious lungs against these invaders.

Play will start with a story to set the scene, followed by a journey through a giant nose and then continue with lots of loose-part-play within two large lung-shaped domes. A gentle soundscape of music and breathing will surround the hands-on activity. OKIDO play rangers and lung researchers will be on hand to help with questions and fun!

This event is for under-fives but parents, carers, grandparents and older siblings are encouraged to join in too!

In partnership with OKIDO Studio.

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

Bird Bingo
1 Apr – 31 Aug 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!

This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery

Find out more nms.ac.uk/birdbingo

Woolly Weekend
28 – 29 May 2022
11:00-16:00
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass

Visit the National Museum of Rural life to celebrate the start of summer and all things woolly. Our petting zoo is open from 12:00 – 15:00 with a rabbit, guinea pig, duck and chicken. See our shearer at work with our Scottish Blackface sheep and enjoy wool-themed family crafts and activities.

This family event is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery

Find out more nms.ac.uk/woollyweekend

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

Falklands 40 and the Vulcan at War

28 – 29 May 2022
10:00 – 17:00
Concorde Hangar and Vulcan Aircraft
Free with museum admission

Learn about the role of the Vulcan in the Falklands War, with talks, tours and displays to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the conflict.

The Vulcan aircraft on display at East Fortune, serial number XM597, took part in Black Buck missions, attacking Argentinian radar defences. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the conflict, some of the crew members and personnel involved in Operation Black Buck are visiting the museum to share their stories in a series of talks and tours.

In the Concorde Hangar, visitors will also be able to see a small photography display and some of Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum’s Airborne Forces Collection, and younger visitors will have the chance to make a paper Vulcan underneath Concorde.

Find our more nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

Awesome Bricks
18 Jun –19 Jun 2022
10:00-17:00
Ticketed

Join us for one of Scotland’s biggest LEGO events. See a host of unique and inspiring LEGO constructions, including a 3D hot air balloon festival, and get hands-on in our blue brick build zone.

Awesome Bricks is produced in partnership with Warren Elsmore.

Book now nms.ac.uk/awesomebricks

Follow us on Twitter … twitter.com/NtlMuseumsScot

Follow us on Facebook … facebook.com/NationalMuseumsScotland

Follow us on Instagram … instagram.com/nationalmuseumsscotland/

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

National Museums of Scotland: What’s On in April

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.

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.

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.

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

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

What’s On at National Museums of Scotland: Exhibitions and Events

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 biggest books.

Published as a series between 1827 and 1838, Birds of America by John James Audubon (1785-1851) was a landmark work that achieved international renown due to the epic scale of the project and the book’s spectacular, life-sized ornithological illustrations.

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Book now nms.ac.uk/BirdsofAmerica

LAST CHANCE TO SEE Scotland’s Climate Challenge

Until 27 Mar 2022
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1
Free

This small exhibition highlights the exciting work being carried out in Scotland to fight against climate change. It brings together just some of the technological responses that have been developed in Scotland or that are being used here in the effort to cut carbon dioxide emissions. On show are a range of leading-edge equipment, much of it newly collected, alongside samples of natural material.

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Visit nms.ac.uk/ClimateChallenge

The Typewriter Revolution
Until 11 Sep 2022
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry

Visit nms.ac.uk/Typewriters

Inspiring Walter Scott

Until 8 Jan 2023
Exhibition Gallery 4, Level 1
Free entry

On the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth, experience his novels through objects that inspired him. In this small exhibition we show 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

*NEW* 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.

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.

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

Spotlight On: Audubon’s Birds of America
8 Mar 2022
14:00-15:00
Auditorium, Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Free, advance booking required.
Suitable for those aged 12 and over.

Join exhibition Curator Mark Glancy and Paper Conservator Lisa Cumming as they discuss how our upcoming exhibition Audubon’s Birds of America took flight.
Discover how Birds of America, one of the world’s rarest and most coveted books, was made, and learn about the ongoing conservation work to preserve these life-size, hand-coloured prints for future generations. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

Relaxed Opening Hour
27 Mar 2022
10:00-11:00
Free entry

These monthly Relaxed Opening Hours are 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. The Relaxed Opening Hour includes access to the entirety of the museum currently open to the public. At 11:00 sound will be switched back on, but visitors to this session are welcome to remain in the museum for as long as they like.

Find out more at nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

*NEW* Edinburgh Science Festival 2022

9 Apr – 24 Apr 2022
10:00 – 17:00

Two weeks of science-fuelled exploration at 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 gets hands-on with amazing drop-in experiments from the University of Edinburgh, and children’s workshops exploring everything from Creative Coding to Disease Detectives.

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.

National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF
Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 16:00

*NEW* National Lottery Open Week

26 Mar – 27 Mar 2022
10:00 – 16:00
Free entry on presentation of National Lottery ticket (T&Cs apply)

On 26 and 27 March, the National Museum of Flight is taking part in the National Lottery Open Week.

As a recipient of National Lottery funding, we are inviting players to the museum for free for the weekend, to say thank you for their support. Please book a timed entry ticket online for every member of your group in advance of your visit.

Book now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

ONLINE

*NEW* Museum Socials: Audubon’s Birds of America

18 Mar 2022
11:00–12:00
Online
Free

Museum Socials are created for anyone affected by Dementia and their relatives, friends and supporters. The monthly events create a friendly environment where everyone is welcome and all contributions are valued. They are suitable for first-time visitors and for those who might not regularly come to the museum, as well as people who have always loved visiting.

In March, join exhibition curator Mark Glancy to learn about the making of Birds of America, one of the world’s rarest and most coveted books.

Book nms.ac.uk/MuseumSocials

The Joy of Birds

31 Mar 2022
19:30-20:30
Online
Free, with optional donation

Join David Lindo and Paul Walton for an online discussion celebrating the joy that birds bring us, the urgent threats they face, and the science and conservation work protecting them.

Paul Walton is Head of Habitats and Species for RSPB Scotland.

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Book Now nms.ac.uk/JoyofBirds

Follow us on Twitter…twitter.com/NtlMuseumsScot

Follow us on Facebook…facebook.com/NationalMuseumsScotland

Follow us on Instagram…instagram.com/nationalmuseumsscotland/

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

National Museums Scotland listings to 15 February

Exhibitions & Displays

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

OPENING SOON Audubon’s Birds of America
12 Feb – 8 May 2022
Member Preview Day, 11 Feb
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3
Ticketed, £0-£10

This new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland will examine the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, most coveted and biggest books.

Audubon’s Birds of America (12 February – 8 May 2022) will showcase 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/Audubon

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.

Sponsored by Baillie Gifford Actual Investors.

Visit nms.ac.uk/Anatomy

The Typewriter Revolution
Until 17 Apr 2022
10:00–16:30
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry

The typewriter’s social and technological influence is revealed in this new exhibition and looks at 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.

Inspiring Walter Scott

Visit nms.ac.uk/walterscottexhibition

Scotland’s Climate Challenge

Until 27 Mar 2022
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1
Free entry

On show are a range of leading-edge equipment, much of it newly collected, alongside samples of natural material.

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Visit nms.ac.uk/ClimateChallenge

National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF
Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 16:00

LEGO® Concorde Model
Until 30 Jan 2022
Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 16:00
Free with pre-booked museum entry

Master builder Warren Elsmore and his team have created a LEGO® Big Build of the National Museum of Flight’s Concorde.

Six metres long and made of over 60,000 bricks, you can see the model on display alongside the real thing. The model is made purely from standard 2×4 LEGO bricks and took five days to build as part of our Brick Wonders exhibition in Spring 2021.

Visit nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

EVENTS

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

Origami Dove Making
Fri 21 – Sun 23 Jan 2022
11:00-13:00, 14:00-16:00
Grand Gallery, Level 1
Free, drop-in

Try out your origami skills and help to create a flock of birds to become part of Les Colombes (The Doves), a stunning installation symbolising love, hope and kindness. The artwork will make its Scottish debut in St Giles’ Cathedral as a highlight of the annual Burns & Beyond Festival in March 2022.

This event is part of Burns & Beyond 2022.

Visit nms.ac.uk/origami-dove-making

Victorian Edinburgh

20 Jan – 31 Mar 2022
11:00 – 13:00
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4
£175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)

Join this short course from National Museums Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.

This course will be led by Helen Rapport PGCE, M.A., PhD. The University of Edinburgh Short Courses are presented by the Centre for Open Learning.

Book now nms.ac.uk/VictorianEdinburgh

Georgian Scotland

20 Jan – 31 Mar 2022
14:00 – 16:00
Seminar Room, Learning Centre Level 4
£175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)

Join this short course from National Museums Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.

Georgian Scotland explores Scotland’s great changes and developments from 1714–1815. Making extensive use of National Museum 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.

This course will be led by Helen Rapport PGCE, M.A., PhD. The University of Edinburgh Short Courses are presented by the Centre for Open Learning.

Book now nms.ac.uk/GeorgianScotland

Discovering Decorative Arts at the National Museum of Scotland

20 Jan – 24 Mar 2022
11:00 – 13:00
Dunfermline Room
£175 for 10 sessions (concessions available)

Join this short course from National Museums Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, a great way to explore our collections and their wider history with experts.

This course will introduce the magnificent decorative arts collections within the National Museum of Scotland. We will explore the historical developments of decorative arts and how they have influenced the modern methods and techniques used to create many of the beautiful objects on display in the National Museum of Scotland.

This course will be led by Karen A Clulow BA MA FSA Scot. The University of Edinburgh Short Courses are presented by the Centre for Open Learning.

Book now nms.ac.uk/DecorativeArts

*NEW Spotlight On: Audubon’s Birds of America *

8 Mar 2022
14:00-15:00
Auditorium, Level 1
Free, advance booking required.
Suitable for those aged 12 and over.

Join exhibition Curator Mark Glancy and Paper Conservator Lisa Cumming as they discuss how our upcoming exhibition Audubon’s Birds of America took flight.

Discover how Birds of America, one of the world’s rarest and most coveted books, was made, and learn about the ongoing conservation work to preserve these life-size, hand-coloured prints for future generations. 

Exhibition supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery

Boon now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

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

National Museums Scotland: What’s On

National Museums Scotland listings to 31 December

Festive Fun at the National Museum of Rural Life

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

Willow Star Workshop with Anna Cross
26 Nov 2021
10:15–12:45, 14:00–16:30
£35, suitable for adults (age 16+)

Kick off the festive season by weaving a spectacular willow star with artist Anna Cross. In these half-day workshops for adults, both beginners and seasoned crafters alike will learn how to create their own beautiful decoration. A stylish alternative to traditional Christmas wreaths, you’ll want to display your large willow star year after year.

Book now: nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

Children’s Workshop: Make a Willow Decoration
Sat 27 Nov
14:30–16:00
£10 per child, suitable for ages 10+
Advanced booking is essential

Keen to learn more about the art of willow weaving? Then book a place on this 1.5 hour-long workshop with willow artist Anna Cross, suitable for children age 10+ with an accompanying adult. Anna will show you how to weave and decorate your very own willow star decoration to take home, perfect for hanging in your room or on the Christmas tree.

Visit: nms.as.uk/exhibitions-events

Festive Family Crafts
27 Nov – 28 Nov 2021
Sat: 10:30 – 16:00
Sun: 10:30 – 15:30
Free with pre-booked museum admission

Festive family activities across the weekend, from drop-in craft sessions to a children’s willow weaving workshop with Anna Cross, the artist who created our Willow Sculpture Trail.

Our family programming is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery

Visit: nms.as.uk/exhibitions-events

Clyde’s Winter Trail
27 Nov 2021 – 9 Jan 2022
10:00 – 17:00
Free with pre-booked museum admission

Spot the festive scenes that Clyde, the Clydesdale horse, and his friends have been creating around the museum as they get ready for the festive season.

Our family programming is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery

Visit: nms.as.uk/exhibitions-events

Exhibitions & Displays

National Museum of Scotland

Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Open 10:00–17:00 daily

Audubon’s Birds of America
12 Feb – 8 May 2022
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3
Ticketed

This new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland will examine the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, most coveted and biggest books.

Visit: nms.ac.uk/Audubon

The Typewriter Revolution

24 Jul 2021–17 Apr 2022
10:00–16:30
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry

Visit nms.ac.uk/Typewriters

Scotland’s Climate Challenge

24 Sep 2021 – 27 Mar 2022
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1
Free display

Visit nms.ac.uk/ClimateChallenge

Extinction Bell

24 Sep 2021 – 9 Jan 2022
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
The Grand Gallery, Level 1
Free display

The Extinction Bell is a work by Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram that aims to raise awareness of biodiversity loss. A fire engine bell from National Museums Scotland’s collection has been adapted to toll at random intervals 150-200 times per day. Each ring of the bell symbolises the extinction of a species, representing the number being lost every 24 hours (according to a 2007 report from the UN).

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Visit nms.ac.uk/ExtinctionBell

Inspiring Walter Scott

6 Aug 2021 – 9 Jan 2022
Exhibition Gallery 4, Level 1
Free entry

On the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth, experience his novels through objects that inspired him. In this small exhibition we show 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.

Visit nms.ac.uk/walterscottexhibition

Events

Online

NEW Costume Conversations
22 Nov 2021, 17:00
Free Instagram live, follow @nationalmuseumsscotland

Join the final instalment of our Instagram Live series exploring how one object can tell multiple stories.
In Costume Conversations our expert panel will explore how clothes tell stories on stage and screen. We’re asking the big questions about costume interpretation to find out just what’s involved in fashioning the past in the present.

View nms.ac.uk/CostumeConversations

Celebrating Black Fashion

26 Nov 2021
19:30—20:15
Watch online
Free, with option to add a donation

Join model and broadcaster Eunice Olumide as she shares her experience of a transforming industry with museum curator Georgina Ripley. Eunice and Georgina will also discuss Eunice’s recent book How To Get Into Fashion, focussing on creativity, diversity, and wellbeing.

This event will be followed by a live Q&A chaired by Mal Burkinshaw, Head of the School of Design at Edinburgh College of Art.

Part of Black History Month 2021.

Book now nms.ac.uk/CelebratingBlackFashion

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

National Museums Scotland: What’s On?

Exhibitions & Displays

National Museum of Scotland

Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Open 10:00–16:30 daily

The Typewriter Revolution

24 Jul 2021–17 Apr 2022
10:00–16:30
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry

Visit nms.ac.uk/Typewriters

Inspiring Walter Scott

6 Aug 2021–9 Jan 2022
Exhibition Gallery 4, Level 1
Free entry

On the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth, experience his novels through objects that inspired him. In this small exhibition we show 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.

Visit nms.ac.uk/walterscottexhibition

Scotland’s Climate Challenge

24 Sep 2021 – 27 Mar 2022
Exhibition Gallery 3, Level 1
Free entry

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Visit nms.ac.uk/ClimateChallenge

Extinction Bell

24 Sep 2021 – 9 Jan 2022
The Grand Gallery
Free entry

The Extinction Bell is a work by Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram that aims to raise awareness of biodiversity loss. A fire engine bell from National Museums Scotland’s collection has been adapted to toll at random intervals 150-200 times per day. Each ring of the bell symbolises the extinction of a species, representing the number being lost every 24 hours (according to a 2007 report from the UN).

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Visit nms.ac.uk/ExtinctionBell

National Museum of Flight

East Fortune Airfield, B1347, North Berwick EH39 5LF
Open 10:00-17:00 daily

LEGO® Concorde Model
28 Jun – 31 Oct 2021
10:00 – 17:00
Free with entry to the museum

Master builder Warren Elsmore and his team have created a LEGO® Big Build of Concorde. Six metres long and made of over 60,000 bricks, the model took five days to build and is now on display under the wings of the real Concorde at the National Museum of Flight.

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Visit nms.as.uk/concordemodel

Events

On-line

The Glenmorangie Annual Lecture: Rediscovering Viking-age Scotland with Michael Wood

26 Oct 2021
18:00—19:00
Watch online
Free, with option to add a donation

Join historian and broadcaster Michael Wood and Dr Adrián Maldonado, Glenmorangie Research Fellow, as they take a fresh look at some of the iconic objects on display in the National Museum of Scotland and discuss new research on objects in the museum’s stores. The event celebrates the launch of Adrián’s new book, Crucible of Nations: Viking Age to Medieval Scotland, which reassesses the museum’s 9—12th century collections, uncovering an exciting new vision of Scotland’s diverse and creative past.

The event includes a live Q&A chaired by writer and broadcaster, Sally Magnusson. 

Book now nms.ac.uk/vikingagescotland

Art and Science – Communicating the Climate Emergency

4 Nov 2021
19:30 – 20:30
Watch online
Free, with optional donation

As the eyes of the world turn to Scotland for the UN Climate Conference in November, join artists Luke Jerram and Philip Pinsky, along with National Museums Scotland curators, for a discussion about the urgency of the climate and biodiversity crisis. Explore how the research and technology being used to tackle these issues can be shared with the wider public, and consider how art can help communicate these critical messages and inspire change.

Supported by players of the Postcode Lottery.

Visit nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

National Museum of Scotland

Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Open 10:00–16:30 daily

For families

October Half Term

18 Oct – 25 Oct 2021
10:00 – 12:00 & 14:00 – 16:00
Free, drop-in and online

Reduce, Reuse, and Rewild this October Half Term with activities to do at home or visit us in the museum to learn more. Take a walk on the wild side with our Rewilding Trail, make musical instruments from things you can find on a walk outside, or “go green” this Halloween and raid your recycling bin to craft a bat rocket and make some monster feet to wear!

Visit nms.ac.uk/OctoberHalfTerm

For everyone

And If Not Now, When?
1 Nov – 14 Nov 2021
10:30 – 16:30
Event Space, Level 2
Free entry, sign up on the day in the Grand Gallery

And If Not Now, When? is an immersive, reactive, sound and film installation by Edinburgh artists Philip Pinsky and Karen Lamond which invites you to experience a transformed urban reality to inspire hope and possibility.

Confronted with a heightened version of a busy urban junction; heavy traffic, pollution and noise, you will walk through a sound and film installation, guided by a lighted path. As you do so, notice how your position in the room directly impacts the environment around you. Watch and listen as your actions transform one environment into another and end the experience with a vivid and tranquil re-imagining of how we could all live peacefully in our cities.

Visit nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events

National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, B1347, North Berwick EH39 5LF
Open daily 10:00 – 17:00

For families

Survival Skills

19 Oct – 22 Oct 2021
11:30 – 16:00
Free with pre-booked museum entry

Take part in survival skills training for all the family at the National Museum of Flight this October half term. Learn how to set up a ‘leave no trace’ camp in the Concorde Hangar and sign up for our family bushcraft workshop.

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Visit nms.ac.uk/SurvivalSkills

Flying into the Future Trail

26 Jun – 31 Oct 2021
10:00 – 17:00
Self-guided activity recommended for families with children aged 7-11
Free with pre-booked museum entry

Discover how engineers are working to make air travel less damaging to the environment. Download or pick up your trail to explore the museum while you learn about the challenges faced by the aviation industry and discover some of the innovative solutions that could be used.

Visit nms.ac.uk/flyingintothefuture

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

From the Past to the Future: exhibition at granton:hub

Exhibition at Madelvic House next weekend

For more information visit www.grantonhub.org