Tag: exhibitions

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


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   

 
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 
 

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. 

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 
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 

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 

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! 

Sign up on the day for a 45 minute session, starting each hour from 10am until (last session) 4pm. 

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!  

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 

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 

Coming up at Collective

Upcoming Exhibitions and Events on Calton Hill

1 June – 4 September

A Matter of Precedents by Annette Krauss opens on 1 June, as a research resource in the Library.

This collaborative long-term research project reflects on Collective’s move to the City Observatory and explores the site’s designation as a ‘common good asset’.

The project launches with two walking conversations on 1 & 2 June led by Annette Krauss and other artists and cultural thinkers, and will visit common good sites in Edinburgh.

18 June – 4 September

backwash, an exhibition of new work by Camara Taylor, opens in the Hillside on 18 June. The exhibition consists of new video and mixed-media work relating to the artist’s ongoing conversation with Scottish waterways and a collection of public papers spanning several centuries. Camara Taylor is a participant in Satellites, Collective’s development programme for emergent pracitioners based in Scotland.

25 June – 18 September

On 25 June The Beast by Ruth Ewan will open in the City Dome.

A new animation, presented alongside archival material, focuses on the Scottish/American steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and his namesake Diplodocus carnegii. The exhibition explores intersecting ideas around power, exploitation, culture and the history of capitalism. The animation has been co-written with Marxist magician and professor of theatre studies Dr Ian Saville.

> Find out more

Hidden Door Festival: 4 weeks to go!

We can’t believe that in just FOUR WEEKS we will be welcoming you to Hidden Door 2022!

For our team of volunteers, the festival build begins in the next few days so stay tuned for some exclusive behind-the-scenes previews.

For now, let’s take a closer look at our first Friday night … a night of wild pop and songs for the soul; late night electro in the Basement; ghostly dancers in the debating chamber; powerful theatre and beautiful spoken words echoing down the corridors; eclectic art around every corner; hot street food and sunny terrace bars with stunning city centre views …

See the full 12-hour Friday programme and book ticket

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. 

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 

 
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

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 that 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 

*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 

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 
 

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 

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 

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

The monthly Relaxed Opening Hour at the National Museum of Scotland is 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 

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. And join DataSphere 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. 

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


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. 

Museum Socials are inspired by Meet Me at MoMA. They are programmed in partnership with National Galleries of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland. 

Book nms.ac.uk/MuseumSocials  

The Joy of Birds 

31 Mar 2022 
19:30-20:30 
Online 

Free, with optional donation 

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

Supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 

Book Now nms.ac.uk/JoyofBirds 

 
Follow us on Twitter…twitter.com/NtlMuseumsScot 

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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.   

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 

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 

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 
 

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.  

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  

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.

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. And join DataSphere 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. 

 
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.  

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. 

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 

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

National Museums Scotland: What’s on this month

National Museums Scotland’s exhibition Audubon’s Birds of America opens this month, please see details of the exhibition and related events below, followed by all other National Museums Scotland listings to 12 March 2022. 


OPENING SOON Audubon’s Birds of America 
12 Feb – 8 May 2022 
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
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.   

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 (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/BirdsofAmerica 

NEW February Half Term 

14 Feb – 17 Feb 2022 
10:00 – 12:00 & 14:00 – 16:00 
Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
Free, drop-in 

Swoop into the National Museum of Scotland for some feathery February half term fun or download a hands-on activity to try at home.  

Join our Learning Enabler team at their drop-in Learning Trolleys to find out the basics of birdwatching – what to take, where to look and what to look for. Or have a go at a bird chatter challenge and see if you can match the bird to its call. 

Next, imagine the Grand Gallery is a garden and look up to spy six beautiful birds perched around the balcony. Can you identify all six and complete the answers on our bird watching challenge sheet?  

You can also fold your own paper origami dove with the team from Burns & Beyond. These doves will later be flown alongside 2,500 others in artist Michael Pendry’s creation, to debut at St Giles’ Cathedral in March 2022. 

Event supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery 

Visit nms.ac.uk/exhibitions-events 

 
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 

NEW Mindful viewing of Audubon’s Birds of America 

6 March 2022 
17:30-19:00 
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF 
£15, £13 Members and Concessions 

A rare chance to explore our special exhibition after hours, hosted by museum mindfulness teacher Laura Baxter. Taking time to savour pleasant experiences, such as looking at art, can increase our mental wellbeing. 

This session will invite visitors to first freely browse the exhibition, then as a group focus on a single work of art within the exhibition, discovering how to enjoy the artwork and experience how to engage with it mindfully, moment by moment. Through guided mindfulness practices, participants will discover how to slow down, connect with the artwork and each other. 

Part of the National Museum of Scotland’s Wellbeing Weekend.

Book Now nms.ac.uk/WellbeingWeekend 

NEW 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.  

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. 

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 

Exhibitions & Displays 

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

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. 

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 
 
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 

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

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 

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

LAST CHANCE TO SEE LEGO® Concorde Model 
Until 6 February 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 

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 Wellbeing Weekend: Yoga, sketching and mindfulness 

4 Mar – 6 Mar 2022 
 
A weekend of resetting, relaxing and reflection within the inspiring architecture and galleries of the National Museum of Scotland.   

As we emerge from the darkest months of the year, join us for a series of events to reset your body and uplift your mind. From relaxing yoga to mindful sketching, make the most of our unique spaces and inspiring galleries to improve and enhance your wellbeing. 

The times, dates, prices and booking info for individual events across the weekend are below. 

Yin Yang Flow Yoga 

Friday 4 March 
18:00-19:15 
£15, £13 Members and Concessions 
 
Morning Ashtanga Yoga 

Saturday 5 March  
08:15-09:15 
£15, £13 Members and Concessions 
 
Mindful Sunday Sketch 

Sunday 6 March, 
13:00-14:30 and 15:00-16:30 
£10, £8 Members and Concessions 
 
Wellbeing Trail 

4-6 March 
Free 
See the museum in a new light using our Wellbeing Audio Trail, or pick up a paper copy in the Grand Gallery. 

Book Now nms.ac.uk/WellbeingWeekend 

 
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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 

Hidden Door to open at old Royal High School this summer

Hidden Door is delighted to announce that we will be bringing the old Royal High School on Calton Hill to life for a ten day festival of live music, visual art, dance, theatre and spoken word.

The property, which has mostly lain empty since the school closed in the late 1960s, will be used to celebrate Scotland’s exciting new and emerging creative talent, before work begins to transform it into Scotland’s new National Centre for Music.

The festival will completely transform the entire complex from 9 – 18 June 2022.

Inside the vast building, forgotten rooms will be transformed into performance spaces and given over to artists to fill with installations. The audience will be encouraged to explore the myriad of passageways, corridors, nooks and crannies that make up this remarkable building.

One of the most impressive rooms, the central debate chamber, will host specially commissioned in-the-round performances and spectacular events that respond to the unique space.

Outside, a stage will be built for large music performances and a bar will take over the front terrace, giving festival goers a unique view on the city.

An early release of tickets are available NOW via hiddendoorarts.org/tickets or from Citizen Ticket.

Once the full programme is announced, ticket holders will be able to select which days they would like to attend.

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.

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 (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.  

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. 

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. 

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.  

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. 

Visit nms.ac.uk/walterscottexhibition 

Scotland’s Climate Challenge 

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

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 

 
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.  

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. 

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 

 
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 

City Art Centre reveals exhibitions programme for 2022

Paul Duke’s Muirhouse exhibition No Ruined Stone is among the highlights

Will Maclean, Fire Figure, 1985. © the artist. Private Collection
Will Maclean, Fire Figure, 1985. © the artist. Private Collection

A stunning range of exhibitions for 2022 including a winter photographic season of three new displays has been announced for the City Art Centre. 

All exhibitions will be free to attend. Further information on the individual shows, including an exciting and varied public events programme, will be announced later in the year.

National Treasure: The Scottish Modern Arts Association
21 May – 16 October 2022

The Scottish Modern Arts Association was founded in Edinburgh in 1907. Established by artists and their supporters, the organisation aimed to secure for the nation a representative collection of modern Scottish art. For more than fifty years, it actively acquired work by leading contemporary artists, building an outstanding collection of over 300 paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures. The majority of these artworks were transferred to the City of Edinburgh when the association disbanded in the 1960s, and they are now maintained by the City Art Centre.

National Treasure: The Scottish Modern Arts Association reveals the story of this unique collection, and the artists represented in it. Featuring work by the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists, as well as individuals such as William McTaggart, John Duncan, Anne Redpath and Joan Eardley, this major two-floor exhibition celebrates Scottish art at the dawn of modernism.

National Treasure is presented as part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2022.

Will Maclean: Points of Departure
4 June – 2 October 2022

Will Maclean (b.1941) is one of the outstanding artists of his generation. His work is anchored in the history, archaeology, and literature of the Scottish Highlands and the Highland people, as well as his family background and personal associations with the sea.

Perhaps best known for his wall constructions, this major retrospective will span almost fifty years of work and embrace every facet of his practice – his constructions, drawings, prints, sculptures, artistic collaborations, video productions and outdoor installations. Combining exquisitely hand-made pieces with found or (on occasions) mass produced objects, his work balances between simplicity and complexity and invites the viewer to linger, to admire and to ponder the universal themes which he explores.

Accompanied by a new publication, the exhibition will be drawn from public and private collections, with many of the exhibits going on public display for the first time. The exhibition promises to be a rich visual feast for anyone with an interest in Scottish art and history.

Will Maclean: Points of Departure is presented as part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2022.

Early twentieth century women filmmakers and photographers in Scotland (working title)
12 November 2022 – 12 March 2023

This ground-breaking exhibition presents the work of fourteen pioneering women photographers and filmmakers working in Scotland during the early 20th century.

The women are Violet Banks (1886-1985), Helen Biggar (1909-1953), Isabella Bird (1831-1904), Christina Broom (1862-1939), M.E.M. Donaldson (1876-1958), Jenny Gilbertson (1902-1990), Isobel F Grant (1887–1983), Ruby Grierson (1904-1940), Marion Grierson (1907-1998), Isobel Wylie Hutchison (1889-1982), Johanna Kissling (1875-1961), Isabell Burton-MacKenzie (1872-1958), Margaret Fay Shaw (1903-2004) and Margaret Watkins (1884-1969).

These women present different accounts of Scotland, covering both rural and city places and communities. The exhibition will show the breadth of their photography and filmmaking, offering a critical analysis of their work.

It explores the ways in which their work differs from their better-known male contemporaries, considers their different motivations and how these informed the work they made, and the different narratives we see emerging from their work in Scotland.

It is the first time their work will have been seen together, and it uncovers a previously untold story within the history of Scottish photography. Exhibits will be drawn from a broad selection of private and public collections.

The exhibition is a partnership project with Jenny Brownrigg, Exhibitions Director at The Glasgow School of Art.

Ron O’Donnell
Edinburgh: A Lost World (working title)
19 November 2022 – 5 March 2023

Edinburgh: A Lost World features black and white and colour photographs of forgotten Edinburgh interiors by Scottish artist Ron O’Donnell. During the 1970s and 1980s O’Donnell focused on photographing shops, tea rooms, public toilets, prison cells and factories all over Edinburgh, many of which are no longer in existence. In 2010 he returned to photographing shop interiors. This time, he concentrated on barbers, pet shops, auto repair businesses, shoe repair shops and book shops, including the smallest shop in Edinburgh.

For many years O’Donnell has had a curious and insatiable desire to document the city. As a hunter of unusual interiors, he would cycle around Edinburgh with his camera, a flash gun in a cardboard box, strapped with bungees onto his bike rack, and a tripod slung round his neck.

He found his camera was a key to accessing interiors – hidden spots that many people never saw. As a result, O’Donnell has created an impressive photographic archive of these lost places. The exhibition displays a selection of his photographs, revealing and documenting the dramatic shifts that have taken place in the capital over the years.

Paul Duke: No Ruined Stone
26 November 2022 – 26 February 2023

The artist Paul Duke grew up in the Muirhouse area of Edinburgh between the mid-1960s and early 1980s. In 2015 he returned to Muirhouse to develop No Ruined Stone, a photographic series exploring the built environment and its residents at a time of significant urban regeneration and social flux.

This exhibition presents a selection of photographs from the series; images that balance a documentary approach with highly personal insights. Duke embarked on this project determined to reconnect with his roots. While raising issues around social inequality and poverty, No Ruined Stone is underpinned by a message of human resilience and strength of character.

The exhibition is accompanied by the publication No Ruined Stone (Hartmann Books, 2018).

Auld Reekie Retold 
3 December 2022 – 19 February 2023

This exhibition marks the culmination of Auld Reekie Retold, the largest collections inventory project ever undertaken in the organisation’s history. Over the past three years, this ambitious project has recorded, catalogued and revealed thousands of items housed in stores and venues across the City.

Auld Reekie Retold connects objects in the collection, which has been growing steadily since the 1870’s, with people and places in the city, uncovering new stories from Edinburgh and its residents. Perhaps you’ve seen some of the stories online, or joined one of our digital events; this exhibition will be a chance to see some of the highlight objects uncovered by the team, and also to find out about the behind the scenes work involved in maintaining the collection.

Museums & Galleries Edinburgh’s collections belong to the City, and Auld Reekie Retold aims to give every citizen of Edinburgh a sense of ownership of and connection to its objects and their stories.

Councillor Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener said: “As we look ahead to 2022 at the City Art Centre it looks set to be a truly great year. The City Art Centre is one of the most accessible places in the Capital for art lovers and is home to Edinburgh’s art collection, one of the finest in the country.

“We’re delighted to be playing our part in the Edinburgh Art Festival and hosting some fantastic exhibitions. There are many highlights throughout the year beginning in Spring with ‘National Treasure: The Scottish Modern Arts Association’. The major two-floor exhibition will tell visitors the story of the unique collection and the artists behind it including works by William McTaggart and Joan Eardley.

“And then later in the year we’ll host the fascinating findings from ‘Auld Reekie Retold’. This fantastic project is allowing us to develop a fuller understanding and appreciation of what we have right here in our collections.

“The project has helped to uncover their stories, broaden participation with our Museums & Galleries and ensure their long-term relevance. This is the story of our great city that we all love. It needs to be told and I look forward to visitors discovering it for themselves this autumn.”

Councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, Culture and Communities Vice Convener said: “The City Art Centre’s 2022 programme of free exhibitions will give visitors the opportunity to revisit enduring favourites such as Will Maclean, some of whose works will be on display for first time. They might also discover new favourites like Ron O’Donnell and Paul Duke, who both give us their unique views of Edinburgh.

“I’m very much looking forward to ‘Early twentieth century women filmmakers and photographers in Scotland’, where the works of 14 pioneering women will be brought together for the first time. This will offer visitors the chance to hear the previously untold story of women’s fascinating role within the history of Scottish photography.

“Whilst it’s fantastic to look ahead to a busy year in our City Art Centre, I’d like to reassure people that we will continue to take measures to ensure the safety of visitors and our staff, and will adhere to the latest public guidance.”

In keeping with Government advice to support the safety of our visitors and staff, the City Art Centre maintains a range of safety measures and procedures throughout the venue, including a one-way system, screens at reception, hand sanitiser stations, extra barriers and signage and staff will of course be wearing face coverings while offering visitors a very warm, socially distanced welcome. Visitors are asked to wear face coverings.