150 Incredible images of the National Museum of Scotland

The National Museum of Scotland celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2016. With over a million visitors stepping through the doors this year, I have taken a little time each month to enjoy the vast amount of beautiful images that they shared with us on Twitter and Instagram.

I normally collate a quick monthly round-up. However, in this post I’ve selected 150 of my favourite visitor views of the museum in its 150th year. Continue scrolling (this is quite a long post) to see the museum from many new angles, through many new eyes.

#NationalMuseumsScotland #NationalMuseumofScotland

#fromwhereistand

A photo posted by Alicia Munn (@aliciamunn) on

Gazing up in the Grand Gallery

The Grand Gallery at the National Museum of Scotland is a truly stunning space. Rising up through each level, the Window on the World display showcases a spectacular array of over 800 objects. The tall arches of the central ceiling beams and many glass panels, create a striking frame. Sunny blue, dusky pink or moody grey… the gallery is a perfect place to watch the ever-changing sky above. This is one of the most-photographed spaces in the museum, so choosing just fifteen photos to share was tough, but I think this selection highlight a sense of the unique beauty of this space.

Shot on iPhone 6s. #igersedinburgh #nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Simon Milligan (@simonjuho) on

#nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Joanna Gonzales (@raz72076) on

Observing museum observers

A photo posted by Lucy Thérèse Revell (@lucyrev) on

#greatbritain #unitedkingdom #scotland #edinburgh #nationalmuseumsscotland #replica #mylove

A photo posted by Svetlana (@stellochka_mu) on

And here it is in Lego form! #nationalmuseum #scotland #edinburgh #lego

A photo posted by Kristine (@kriswjc) on

Catching the Giant Deer

You can find a special long term resident of the Grand Gallery, standing tall on the East side. It watches the space transform with people and events throughout the year. However, it is also very much in the gaze of many of our visitors. The Giant Deer is regularly caught in photographs, from many angles. This is the first complete skeleton of a giant deer ever to be discovered, it was found on the Isle of Mann in 1819 and brought to Edinburgh by the Duke of Atholl.

Well hello there #nationalmuseumofscotland #edinburgh #scotland

A photo posted by Michael (@michaelbrothwood) on

en gammel gammel kæmpehjort #nationalmuseumofscotland #skeleton #giant #deer #paleontology #prehistoric #tb

A photo posted by Benedicte (@benedictebill) on

Getting ready for #edinfilmfest #neitherwolfnordogmovie

A photo posted by Steven Lewis Simpson (@stevenlewissimpson) on

Another from the National Museum #lookdown

A photo posted by Martin Ritchie (@martin_ritchie) on

So far so good @pandafunkteam #edinburgh #nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by bexy bizzle (@crownheartstar) on

#nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Lorne Armstrong (@lornearmstrong) on

Let the museum sleepover begin #museumsleepover

A photo posted by valeriemof3 (@valeriemof3) on

And in colour because I just love this view ♡ #baosconference #edinburgh #nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Donna McCormick (@donna_la_tronna) on

Adventures of our smaller visitors

Our visitors come in all shapes and sizes, bringing with them cheery smiles and lots of brilliant energy. These photos of some of our smaller visitors capture a brilliant essence of the many mini-adventures that take place under the roof of the museum each day. As they explore, learn and open their eyes to many new things. Where else can you hang out with a Stegosaurus?

Explorer @nationalmuseumsscotland

A photo posted by Emma Pirie (@emmajanepirie) on

Exploring #nationalmuseumofscotland #edinburgh #sisters

A photo posted by Lindsay D (@linds_doherty) on

Hoy nos hemos levantado en plan culto y nos hemos venido para el museo! #nationalmuseumofscotland #themagiccarpet

A photo posted by Laura Mas (@madame_mutant) on

Our favourite wee man!! #edinburgh #nationalmuseumofscotland #weeman

A photo posted by Jac Rennison (@jac10101) on

 

Weighing baby Jessica #baby #cutie #toocute #edinburgh #nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Ryan Milne (@lasuperduper) on

Giant xylophone!

A photo posted by Museum Diary (@museumdiary) on

Museum fun today! #nationalmuseumofscotland #edin

A photo posted by Tiffany joo (@tiffanytakeuchi) on

The obligatory trip to the museum in the holidays with this little lot #Edinburgh #nationalmuseumofscotland #cousins

A photo posted by D E B B I E J O B S O N (@debjobs) on

Museum vibes.

A photo posted by Lisa (@yeahokbye) on

Adventures of our taller visitors

Just like our smaller visitors, judging by the photographs we see each month… our taller visitors have lots of adventures in the museum too.

Capture the moment

A photo posted by Marisa (@chinkychub) on

Museum silliness #dollythesheep #nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Cameron Jones (@crjones94) on

Bean

A photo posted by Anggi Permana Putra (@anggikpe) on

Say whaaaaat? #NationalMuseumOfScotland #Edinburgh #Sarcosuchus

A photo posted by @elennar on

It’s Electrifying!

A photo posted by Alan (@kelvinboy7) on

Selfies with the stars

There is something about the Natural World galleries at the museum that makes your mind bubble. The displays asks big questions, like how does the world work and what do we know about it? Next to the animal galleries, Earth in Space explores our place in the universe. Throughout the year I have noticed people finding their photographic place in amongst the stars. As the colourful screens in this gallery make a beautiful backdrop for a silhouetted #MuseumSelfie. Here are ten of the brightest silhouettes I’ve seen this year.

Amy and Heidi lost in the stars… #photography #stars #starstruck #nationalmuseumofscotland #cousins

A photo posted by Megan Galloway (@girllostintheclouds) on

Went to outer space today

A photo posted by Micaela Wilson (@kaleid0scopeeyes_) on

A photo posted by Chengwei Xin (@uraeusxin) on

Chillin’ in The National Museum of Scotland

A photo posted by Grace Marshall (@graceemarsh) on

Cosmo dreams ✨

A photo posted by Katie Hayes (@k8ehaiiz) on

Takie tam w kosmosie #nationalmuseumofscotland#space#throwback#edinburgh#scotland#uk#tbt

A photo posted by Karolina Niemiec (@karolina_niemiec) on

Meeting Dolly the sheep

Next up is our superstar Dolly the sheep, who certainly takes pride of place in our new Science and Technology galleries. As the first cloned mammal ever to be created from an adult cell, her birth on 5 July 1996 was of huge excitement both to the scientific world and to the public. Have you said hello to Dolly yet?

Hello Dolly! Dolly the Sheep @nationalmuseumsscotland Chamber Street. #sheep #dolly #clone

A photo posted by Samantha Røre (@trampantha) on

The day when Tesa and I met Dolly The sheep!

A photo posted by Zoran Senčar (@senca72) on

Today I met Dolly the sheep, an absolute landmark in medical sciences. I could barely contain my excitement #dollythesheep #genetics

A photo posted by George Thirlway (@alltheheavygeorging) on

Ainda encontrei a Dolly por aqui! #nationalmuseumofscotland #edinburgh #scotland #lovescotland

A photo posted by Myla P. (@mylagp) on

Striking museum sketches

Inspiration is everywhere in the museum. If you have some creative itches that need scratched. Sketching details of objects, animals or statues in the museum is a great place to start. The detail captured in these five drawings give a wonderful sense of what the artists have truly seen when exploring the museum.

#PaparazziDeCriancaFofa #AlinePaparazzi

A photo posted by paparazzi_de_crianca_fofa (@child_paparazzi) on

Dino drawing with SPECIAL FRIEND @emseeitch #dino #trex #drawing #ink #art #sketchbook #dinosaur

A photo posted by Zuzu Dominiak (@zyzanna) on

Taking in the city views

The Roof Terrace at the museum rewards you with beautiful views over the city of Edinburgh. The challenge is to take a shot from a unique angle, to get the light just right and to capture the mood of the city on the day you visit. These photographs certainly do that, capturing rooftops stretching out towards the Arthur’s seat in one direction and Edinburgh Castle in the other.

My beautiful girl checking out the sights in Edinburgh from the rooftop terrace. #freemuseum #freeviews

A photo posted by Kathy Sproles (@4sproles) on

#rooftop #nationalmuseumofscotland #ricohgr

A photo posted by David McIntosh (@thehonman) on

A photo posted by Anna (@annnabatey) on

Views of #Edinburgh from the terrace level of #Scotland’s amazing national museum. #UK

A photo posted by Jessica Smith (@jayeless) on

Objects eyes have focused on

What is fascinating when exploring the photographs that people share from their museum visits each day, is that everyone’s eyes rest on different things. What captures the attention of one visitor is perhaps missed by the next. That’s the beauty of this museum, as there is such a diverse selection on display, from the age of dinosaurs to the technology of the future.

#nationalmuseumofscotland #history #ancientworld #historic #edinburgholdtown

A photo posted by David Thomas (@davidthomas_uk) on

Pretty “little” #ammonite #fossil #paleontology #edinburgh #nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Saverio Bartolini Lucenti (@savebarto) on

Mary Queen of Scots. #edinburgh #scotland #nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Garth Kaulens (@kaulens) on

Amethyst crystals #nationalmuseumofscotland #edinburgh #amethyst

A photo posted by Emma Ward (@emmaw9018) on

Yea natural grown minerals #minerals #nationalmuseumofscotland #simplystunning #textures

A photo posted by Svenja Bechtel (@believe_the_deer) on

 

Star ✨ ✨#star #museo #scotland #edinburg #nationalmuseumofscotland #uk #unitedkingdom

A photo posted by Xu Liang (@gillian.tsui) on

Oliver

A photo posted by @patrickliamni on

Art, design and fashion at #nationalmuseumofscotland a couple of weeks ago #artdeco #hollyfulton

A photo posted by Karoline Laursen (@karoline.laursen) on

#edinburgh #museum #piano #art #history #NationalMuseumOfScotland #uk #unitedkingdom #scotland

A photo posted by Fredric Lindström (@bluefredo) on

Afternoon at the Museum #nationalmuseumofscotland #chambersstreet

A photo posted by Yvonne Cunningham (@yccunningham) on

Need more time to see all this beautiful #art #nationalmuseumofscotland #Edinburgh

A photo posted by kbahula (@bahulahoop) on

The Circle of Life 🌎#nationalmuseumofscotland #edinburgh #museum #scotland

A photo posted by Leeeee (@leegreaves) on

Museum interactives

There are lots of brilliant hands-on games and interactive exhibits around the museum. You can get a robot to spell out your name, find out how much power you can generate in the giant hamster wheel, make waves, tryout our space man suit to name just a few.

magic

A photo posted by 林铮 (@liolin10) on

The robots know my name! It’s game over….. #Edinburgh #RobotUpRising #NationalMuseumOfScotland #T2

A photo posted by Christopher Lovejoy (@cejlovejoy) on

day 20: pit stop at the National Museum of Scotland before heading back to London

A video posted by Christine Coy ✨ (@coy.across.the.pond) on

I spent far to long staring at this. #art #creative #arty #instaart #dayout #museum #video

A video posted by Tom Foolery (@gazzaramma) on

The museum at night

What you may not know, is that the museum regularly comes alive at night. Transformed by light and music, various spaces become the centre stage for a whole host of events.

Colours be like, wow #baosconference #edinburgh #nationalmuseumofscotland

A photo posted by Donna McCormick (@donna_la_tronna) on

A photo posted by @huntz17 on

National Museum of Scotland #nmslates #celts #edinburgh #theclosetchemisttravels #aboutlastnight

A photo posted by Tia Butler (@closetchem) on

Yaaaas #nationalmuseumofscotland #museumlates #nmslates #nightatthemuseum #edinburgh

A photo posted by Meg Brown (@meg_rose_brown) on

*Update: The count may now be to slightly less than 150 images, as some have been removed from the channels.

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