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National Museum of Scotland

National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh: Hours, Address, National Museum of Scotland Reviews: 4.5/5

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National Museum of Scotland

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See all things to do
National Museum of Scotland
4.5
21,716
#4 of 494 things to do in Edinburgh
Speciality Museums • Natural History Museums
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10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Explore the diversity of the natural world, world cultures, science and technology, art, design and fashion, and Scottish history, all under one roof.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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The area
Address
Best nearby
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2,081 within 3 miles
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Attractions
469 within 6 miles
Edinburgh Old Town
16,095
0.1 miNeighborhoods • Historic Walking Areas
Greyfriars Kirkyard
820
396 ftCemeteries
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2,905
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Greyfriars Kirk
1,399
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Festival Theatre
435
0.1 miTheaters
George IV Bridge
101
0.1 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Bridges
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0.2 miMusic Festivals
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
21,717 reviews
Excellent
16,170
Very good
4,423
Average
885
Poor
164
Terrible
76
Artur J
2 contributions
ONE WORD - AMAZING!!!
Feb 2022 • Family
This place is a gift that keeps on giving, we enjoyed it so much, that we went back the next day to explore some more! There were 5 of us, aged between 5 and 56, and we all found it fascinating! No matter where you turn there is something to see and learn, and the museum literally covers anything and everything - how the world turns, it’s cultures, inhibitors and the list goes on. Lifts, stairs and WC’s available throughout the building.
It’s free to enter (voluntary donations welcome) it has a nice cafe with good choice of sandwiches, wraps, hot/cold drinks. There is a hop on/hop off bus stop located right outside it’s doors making it easily accessible too. Honestly, it’s by far the most amazing museum we’ve ever had the pleasure to explore and cannot recommend it enough- you won’t be disappointed!
Written February 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
bigtourist
England, UK49 contributions
Huge and worth a visit
Apr 2022 • Couples
The museum is massive and has more than just the obligatory animal skeletons. There’s so much to see and do. The museum is free and you currently don’t need to pre book in advance, which is excellent as you can pop in when the weather gets a bit murky. I think there needs to be more areas to sit and have a drink but as it’s free, you can just pop out for four/drink and then pop back in. The fashion area was a highlight and the communication area (although seeing phones of your youth in a museum is always a bit disconcerting :-) )
Written April 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
avrilritchie
Dundee, UK304 contributions
Great that it is completely open again
Jan 2022
Love this museum. We always visit when in Edinburgh and always find something new to enjoy. Absolutely beautiful building and very well curated. Variety is amazing. Can be noisy as a lot of children visit - not necessarily a bad thing but does not suit everyone. Staff are helpful. Toilets very clean and well maintained. It is free but I hope visitors will donate if they can. Entry to a museum of this calibre would be very expensive anywhere else in the world. We are so fortunate to be able to visit freely. Definitely recommend as a “must see” when in Edinburgh.
Written March 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
coxmatthew12
Chester, UK4 contributions
Interesting museum
Jul 2021 • Couples
Extensive collections and interesting place to visit. Interesting exhibits of Scottish history including the Galloway silver hoard. Nice cafe overlooking the main hall. Covid regulations mean you have to book a (free) timed ticket and can't just turn up. They have one way systems but it's not always obvious which way to go. The roof terrace was closed when we went, some of the exhibits were completely closed for covid reasons and the shop has a long queue with only a small handful allowed in at a time. An interesting museum, would recommend a visit but they could perhaps look at some of the covid rules around the museum to make it easier for visitors.
Written July 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
GWoolfe
Scarborough, UK34 contributions
Excellent Museum
Oct 2021
This is a fantastic and free museum to visit, with lots of different exhibitions from ancient history to modern times.
There is so much to see, you could easily spend all day getting lost. If you are just looking to spend an hour or two I would recommend studying the map and just picking out a few highlights.
Highly recommend the exhibition on the Kingdom of Scots and The Millennium Clock but honestly everything displayed is fantastic.
The museum isn't just about Scottish history but covers different cultures and customs around the world.
The museum is also open and transparent about where their collection has come from and the impact and role museums have in displaying the heritage of other cultures.

It can get extremely busy so if you are in Edinburgh for an extended amount of time it would be best to go here a couple of times rather than one big visit.
Written November 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Robert H
Edinburgh144 contributions
Galloway Hoard: just astonishing
Jun 2021
Just back from @NtlMuseumsScot Galloway Hoard exhibition. Astonishing, exquisite, unexpected, unique, revelation: go as soon as you get the chance. I learned a lot of new things about Anglo-Saxons as well as Vikings and about the extensive trade networks of the so-called 'Dark Ages'. The objects, descriptions, and 4 short videos help us to get into the hands of skilled craftspeople and perhaps even the mind of the person or persons who collectd the hoard. Access is poorly signposted, but is via the main east or west galleries on level 3. The exhibition was not crowded, perhaps because we got the earliest booked entry (exhibition is free, but you need to book to access the Museum itself).
Written June 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Sammy
United Kingdom2 contributions
Wouldn't visit with young children
Sep 2021 • Family
Visited the museum today and wouldn't recommend visiting with younger children (my children are aged 5 and 3). They were so bored as there was no interactive areas that were open for them. It wasn't very exciting to just look at everything without touching and they weren't very interested in the information. They kept asking to leave to go home. We were there no longer than an hour.

It's a shame as for many years myself and my family loved coming to the museum and could spend hours without anyone being bored or disinterested.

Hopefully once all the covid rules disappear that it returns to normal as today was disappointing.
Written September 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
BabsRourke
Manchester, UK36 contributions
Wonderful place for all ages !
Feb 2022
A great place for the young and old, and best of all....it's all free of charge
We went into the museum to escape the rain storm, only expecting to remain for a few minutes. However, what we found inside was an amazing treasure trove of ancient artifacts, of replica dinosaurs, steam engines, racing cars and computers through the ages. There was something for everyone.
Had our train not been leaving at lunchtime, we would have stayed longer
The museum staff were friendly and helpful, and there's even a very reasonable cafe

Also, perfect stop off 'en route' to Greyfriars Bobby, just over the road
Written February 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
andrew1NorthWales
North Wales70 contributions
Lots to see and do
Jul 2021
Entry was free but booking in advance was required due to Covid.
The museum is modern, very large with a variety exhibits to keep people of all ages entertained and stimulated.
Staff on hand to give directions and help interpret the contents. Enjoyed my time here. Strongly recommended.
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Tahereh Hadidi
Berkshire, UK37 contributions
Beautiful museum
Apr 2022
We visited this museum on a recent trip to Edinburgh. The building itself is really beautiful especially the grand atrium and there are lots of different smaller galleries to explore, with an understandable emphasis on Scottish history, alongside the natural world and science etc. Some of the interactive exhibits for children were not in use (because of Covid?) which was a shame but my children still enjoyed their visit, especially the section with all the animals. It's a little bit hard to navigate, even with a map, as there is older and newer buildings and the floor numbers seemed to be different on each, so instead of trying to follow a set route, we just went for a wander which meant we stumbled across exhibits we might not have seen otherwise. The cafe was busy but had a good selection. And it's all free! A member of staff recommended we visit the roof terrace which has a really great view out over Edinburgh so I would recommend others don't miss that.
Written May 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about National Museum of Scotland
National Museum of Scotland is open:
  • Sun - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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