There are lots of things to do from 1 April onwards at our National Museum on Chambers Street.
Exhibitions & displays
Bernat Klein: Design in Colour
Until 23 Apr 2023
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry
Marking the centenary of his birth, Bernat Klein: Design in Colour celebrates 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
Find out more nms.ac.uk/Bernat-Klein-Design-in-Colour
Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder
Until 1 May 2023
Ticketed (concessions available)
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.
Book now nms.ac.uk/Doctor-Who-Worlds-of-Wonder
The Declaration of Arbroath
3 Jun – 2 Jul 2023
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Free entry
The Declaration of Arbroath is a letter dated 6 April 1320 written by the barons and freeholders of the Kingdom of Scotland to Pope John XXII. The letter asked the pope to recognise Scotland’s independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country’s lawful king. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to see one of the most important documents in Scottish history – the Declaration of Arbroath.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/The-Declaration-of-Arbroath
Beyond the Little Black Dress
1 Jul – 29 Oct 2023
Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3
Ticketed (concessions available)
From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, this exhibition deconstructs the little black dress and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion. The exhibition will chart a century of fashion in a series of themed, immersive displays. Iconic early pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Jean Muir will be juxtaposed with recent looks by ground-breaking contemporary designers and brands like Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha and Off-White.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/Beyond-the-Little-Black-Dress
Japanese Contemporary Design
Until 30 Jul 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.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/Japanese-Contemporary-Design
Events
Edinburgh Science Festival
1 – 16 Apr 2023
Two weeks of science-fuelled exploration at the National Museum of Scotland, from free interactive exhibits to family workshops and adult talks and events.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/Edinburgh-Science-Festival
Relaxed Access Evening – Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder
18 Apr 2023
17:30–19:30
Special Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3
Standard exhibition entry prices apply
A relaxed after hours visit to Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder for anyone who would prefer a calmer visit to the exhibition. During this opening, numbers will be reduced and wherever possible, sounds will be lowered and light levels adjusted to provide a more relaxed experience. A quiet, breakout space will also be available.
Book now nms.ac.uk/Relaxed-Access-Evening-Doctor-Who-Worlds-of-Wonder
Empire of the dead: Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Scotland
19 Apr 2023
18:00 – 20:00 (lecture begins at 18:30)
Auditorium, Level 1
Free (booking required)
In this public lecture, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Official Historian, George Hay, will explore the Empire of the dead – the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Scotland, and the birth of modern commemoration. The event is part of the Royal Society of Edinburgh-funded Second World War Studies Network (Scotland).
Book now nms.ac.uk/Empire-of-the-dead
Discovering Decorative Arts at the National Museum of Scotland
20 Apr – 22 Jun 2023
11:00-13:00
In the museum galleries
£155 for 10 sessions (concessions available)
National Museums Scotland are delighted to host a new term of University of Edinburgh Short Courses including this ten-week course that will introduce the magnificent arts collections within the National Museum of Scotland. Exploring the historical developments of decorative arts and how they have influenced modern methods and techniques used to create many beautiful objects on display in the museum.
Book now nms.ac.uk/Decorative-Arts
Edinburgh International Children’s Festival Family Encounters Day
27 May 2023
10:00 – 16:30
Grand Gallery (and beyond)
Free, some performances may require sign up on the day
The 2023 Edinburgh International Children’s Festival with Family Encounters returns with a day of free pop-up performances, artist interventions and activities for the whole family.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/Edinburgh-International-Children’s-Festival-Family-Encounters-Day
National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF
Open daily 10:00 – 16:00
Conservation Hangar Tours
8 Apr 2023 – 31 Mar 2024
Free with museum admission
Booking required
See behind the scenes of the work carried out in the museum’s Conservation hangar with a guided tour and find out more about objects from the collection that aren’t normally on display.
Book now nms.ac.uk/Conservation-Hangar-Tours
Operation Sabotage
14 & 15 Apr 2023
Age 14+ event
Ticketed
Operation Sabotage is an escape room experience for 4-8 people that lasts up to an hour. Working together as a team, visitors 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
Test Flight
10 –14 Apr 2023
11:00 –16:00
Nearly 120 years ago the Wright Brothers flew the first powered and controlled aeroplane. Visitors can follow the Wright brothers and design their own aeroplane, drawing inspiration from the collection at the National Museum of Flight.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/Test-Flight
National Museum of Rural Life
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR
Open 10:00–17:00 daily
Spring Explorers
3 – 6 Apr 2023
10:30 – 15:30
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Spring Explorer school holiday activities are back, and this time they’re all to do with Scotland’s folklore and wildlife.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/Spring-Explorers
Woolly Weekend
20 & 21 May 2023
11:00 – 16:00
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass
Woolly Weekend returns to the National Museum of Rural Life. Visitors will have the opportunity to watch live demonstrations of wool-based crafts, see the Scottish Blackface flock get their summer sheering with YouTube sensation Cammy Wilson from The Sheep Game and meet alpacas as well as a variety of sheep breeds.
Find out more nms.ac.uk/Woolly-Weekend
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