Introduction

This afternoon, I am providing information on the National Museum of Scotland following a visit to Edinburgh yesterday.

Grand Gallery

Information on the National Museum of Scotland-Part 1

The National Museum of Scotland is the flagship of four museums which cares for collections that number 12 million objects.

The collections are split into five main sectors. These comprise Natural World, World Cultures, Art, Design and fashion, Science and Technology and Scotland Galleries. The latter spans the development of Scotland and it’s people over the past 5000 years or so.

Inside, the Museum is a restaurant plus two other refreshment areas. There is also provision for young children. Entrance is free but donations are encouraged.

Below is a selection of images of exhibits.

Firstly, here is a fossilised fish, possibly from the Devonian period. This dates back 380m years and was quarried in Caithness, 250 miles north of Edinburgh. Location is pavement/sidewalk outside the Museum.

Longboats, carved from single tree trunks.

9th century shaft of freestanding sandstone cross

7th/8th century Pictish Symbol Stone from Moy in the Highlands

Wylam Dilly loomation which is one of the world’s two oldest surviving steam locomotives. It was used to pull coal along the Wylam Waggonway in northern England.

Here is an image of the Wylan Waggonway which now forms part of the Hadrian’s Wall hiking route.

Argyll Flying Fifteen early motor car. dates from 1910.

The Loom Shop. Used at Kilbarchan in 19th century.

Newcomen Engine

Whisky Still, Glenfiddich, 1963

Ellesmere Locomotive, 1861.

Light Aircraft

Ghanaian Fancy Dress

Coconut Fibre Armour, Kiribati

Slit Gong, Vanuatu. Made from hollowed out tree trunk.

Maori Canoe. Early 19th century. North Island, New Zealand.

Information on the National Museum of Scotland-Part 2

Colonising the Pacific

Scottish made bicycles. 1904-1989.

Trials and Speedway Motorcycles

Furniture and plates from 18th and 19th centuries

Barometer, Refracting Telescope and Specific Gravity Beads from 19th century.

Mummified Man. Probably Thebes, Egypt, 10th century BC

Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age artefacts.

Colour T.V. Receiver. GE 950.1946.

Garrick TV and Wireless, 1946

Steeple Engine. used to pump water at St Leonard’s Brewery, Edinburgh, 1868-1931.

Ancient Egyptian monuments for the dead. C. 2160-2055 BC.

Roman Silver hoard from TrapraIn Law. Probably a bribe.

Lewis Chess Pieces. Probably made in Trondheim, Norway 1150-1200. Found on Isle of Lewis 1831.

More information for the visitor

More information on Edinburgh, Scottish history, architecture, culture, etc., can be found in the Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4. This publication is also available via Kindle.