National Museum of Scotland

Two buildings, one museum

The museum joins two very different buildings. The original Victorian museum, designed by Francis Fowke and Robert Matheson, opened in 1866. Its cast-iron Grand Gallery rises the full height of the building and holds Window on the World, a four-storey display of more than 800 objects. Next door, the sandstone Museum of Scotland wing by Benson & Forsyth opened in 1998 and has a roof garden planted with Scottish species, with wide views over the Old Town.

What to look for

The Scottish galleries tell the country's story from prehistory onwards. Seek out 11 of the Lewis chessmen, the Maiden, an early beheading machine that predates the French guillotine, and Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. Smaller pieces reward a slower look too, such as the Late Bronze Age Peebles Hoard with its complete sword still in a wooden scabbard, or an astrolabe made in Córdoba almost a thousand years ago.

Planning your visit

It was Scotland's most visited attraction in 2025, so a weekday morning is the calmest time to arrive. Greyfriars Kirkyard and the Greyfriars Bobby statue are across the road, and the University of Edinburgh's Old College is a couple of minutes away on South Bridge. For lunch, Bertie's fish and chips on Victoria Street is a short walk, or head to the Three Sisters on the Cowgate for a pint.

Highlights

• Free entry
• Victorian Grand Gallery with the four-storey Window on the World display
• Lewis chessmen, the Maiden and Dolly the sheep
• Roof garden with views across the Old Town
• Victorian building opened 1866; Museum of Scotland wing opened 1998

Good to know

• Entry to the museum is free.
• Closed on 25 December, with later opening on 26 December and 1 January.
• The museum runs free Museum Socials sessions for people living with dementia and their carers.

Frequently asked questions