National Museum of Scotland
Introduction
The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom was created in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections of Scottish antiquities, culture and history, and the adjacent Royal Museum of Scotland, with collections of science and technology, natural history and world cultures. The two buildings are connected at the intersection of Chambers Street and George IV Bridge in Edinburgh's Old Town. The museum is part of the National Museums of Scotland and is free to enter.
The two buildings have major differences: the Museum of Scotland is housed in a modern building inaugurated in 1998, while the old Royal Museum building began construction in 1861 and was partially inaugurated in 1866, with a Victorian-style façade and a large cast iron central room whose height is the maximum height of the building. This building underwent a major restoration and was reopened on July 29, 2011 after three years of work and a budget of 47 million pounds with the aim of remodeling and expanding the building.[1].
The National Museum incorporated the collections of the former National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland. As well as collections of Scottish archaeological sites and medieval artefacts, the museum contains artefacts from around the world relating to geology, archaeology, natural history, science, technology, art and world cultures. The sixteen new galleries reopened in 2011 include 8,000 objects, 80% exhibited for the first time. Among the most notable exhibits is the body of Dolly the sheep, the first successful cloning of a mammal from an adult cell, as well as pieces from Ancient Egypt, an Elton John suit, Jean Muir's fashion collection and a large kinetic sculpture called the Millennium Clock.[1].
In 2019, the museum welcomed 2,210,024 visitors, making it Scotland's most popular tourist attraction that year.[2].
History
The history of the museum begins in 1780 with the founding of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, which continues to operate today, although its archaeological collection and other discoveries were transferred to the government in 1858 as the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland, which since 1891 has shared a building with the Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street in Edinburgh's New Town.[3].
In 1861 construction of the Scottish Industrial Museum began on Chambers Street, the foundation stone of which was laid by Prince Albert. In 1866 it was renamed the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art, and the Great Gallery and east area were opened by Prince Alfred. In 1888 the building was completed and in 1904 the institution changed its name again to the Royal Museum of Scotland.[4].