National Museums Scotland

Close up of a taxidermy specimen of a grey legged douroucouli, looking directly at the camera. The douroucouli has grey fur, and a round face with a flat nose. It's main features are its eyes, which are red, striking, and looking directly at the camera.

Monkeys: Our Primate Family

Saturday 28 June – Sunday 30 November 2025

Come face to face with rare and endangered primates in our upcoming exhibition.

Our museums

A black and white photo of a group of people standing in a city square holding balloons. There is a child's pram covered in protest signs and buttons.

Featured Exhibition

Cold War Scotland

Cold War Scotland explores the stories of Scots at the centre of this global conflict.

National Museum of Scotland

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Discover our collections

  1. Twelve bronze objects, including some rounded fittings with concentric circle designs and a rattle pendant.
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    What is the Peebles Hoard?

    The Peebles Hoard is a spectacular collection of bronze, leather and wooden material. Dating to the Late Bronze Age (c.1000-800 BCE), it contains several hundred elements from a complex set of objects. A complete sword in a wooden scabbard…
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  2. A bust portrait of a man slightly turned to the left, wearing a dark coat with a white shirt against picturesque landscape in the background.
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    Get to know Robert Burns through 10 objects

    A variety of objects relating to the life of Scotland's bard can be found in National Museums Scotland's collection. Read on to learn more about Burns' life, legacy, and his depictions in objects and popular culture.
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  3. A white sheep looking to camera, shown from the shoulders up against a grey background
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    The story of Dolly the sheep

    Dolly the sheep was the first cloned mammal ever to be created from an adult cell. Affectionately named after country music legend Dolly Parton, Dolly caused excitement and controversy among both scientists and the public.Why is Dolly…
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  4. Discover

    Discovering dinosaur bones on a Scottish island

    Dr Elsa Panciroli was walking along the shore of the island of Eigg when something caught her eye. She had stepped on a boulder, but there was something unusual buried in it.Dr Panciroli, a Research Associate at National Museums Scotland,…
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Search our collections

Our online database contains a selection of the 12 million objects and specimens in our collections. 

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