29th July 2011

Refurbished National Museum of Scotland opens its doors

The National Museum of Scotland is one of the Edinburgh’s most popular tourist attractions. It was formed in 2006 through the merging of the Royal Scottish Museum and the Museum of Scotland, and extended in 2011, with new galleries opening on 29 July.

The foundation stone of the Royal Scottish Museum building, which remains part of the enlarged museum, was laid by Prince Albert on 23 October 1861, and the first part of the museum opened five years later. Construction continued until the late 1880s, resulting in a surprisingly light building of 24m-tall columns, an 80m-long glass ceiling, and an open interior, The building is said to have been inspired by the Crystal Palace, built in London for the Great Exhibition of 1851. It is in stark contrast to the sandstone drum to which it is attached. Opened in 1998, this is part of the Museum of Scotland building, which extends around the corner.

Entry to the National Museum of Scotland is free. Inside, visitors will find that its collections have been logically divided, with halls devoted to the natural world, industry, wildlife, and so on.

Dolly the Sheep, which was cloned at the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, is now held by the museum and frequently put on display.

The 2011 renovation saw the opening up of the Royal Scottish Museum building’s basement storage area, which now the main entrance hall, from which visitors climb to the main galleries.