National Museums Scotland listings
12 July – 23 August 2010
Highlights
The Lewis Chessmen: Unmasked
National Museum of Scotland
21 May – Sun 19 September
Special Exhibitions gallery, Level 3
Free
This prestigious new exhibition features chessmen drawn from the collections of National Museums Scotland and the British Museum, The Lewis Chessmen: Unmasked is the most comprehensive exhibition on the chessmen for over a decade.
The exhibition addresses the mystery and intrigue surrounding the chessmen, explores the stories surrounding their discovery and shows how the characters reflected society at the time they were made. It draws upon new research by National Museums Scotland on their craftsmanship, origins and historical context to provide visitors with a new and vibrant perspective on the chessmen.
The National Museum of Scotland is the first venue for the exhibition, which will later travel to Aberdeen Art Gallery, Shetland Museum & Archives and Museum nan Eilean in Stornoway. The exhibition and tour has been made possible with funding from the Scottish Government.
The Jet Age
National Museum of Flight
New permanent exhibition
Included in museum admission
Take a look at the UK’s only Boeing 707 cockpit and cabin as we launch The Jet Age. The exhibition features the reminiscences of former cabin crew and passengers from the heyday of commercial travel. Visitors can revel in the glory of 1960s air travel, when photographing celebrities at the airport was still a novelty! Discover how the aircraft was made and watch interviews. Uniforms, baggage trolleys, airline jet engines and an airport fire engine all help tell the story of the airline that ushered in the ‘Jet Age’.
Parachute Store
National Museum of Flight
New permanent exhibition
Included in museum admission
Experience an evocative glimpse into life at East Fortune in the Second World War. Newly restored to its original appearance, the Parachute Store is where parachutes were hung from the ceiling to dry and repacked ready for use.
Marriage in the Movies
National Museum of Costume
Fri 9 April – Sun 31 October
Entrance included in Museum admission
Marriage in the Movies presents some of the most memorable wedding moments captured on film as we showcase gowns and accessories from the big (and small) screens.
The exhibition features wedding dresses worn by Keira Knightley, Helena Bonham-Carter and Meryl Streep, examines the iconic work of Oscar-winning costume designers, and explores the history of the wedding gown from its symbolism and tradition to fashion and style. While all the wedding gowns on display were made especially for the screen, they also represent the story and the style of the time – from the 1770s in Frankenstein and the late eighteenth century in The Duchess, to the early 1900s in Howard’s End.
Exhibitions
Land Girls and Lumber Jills
National War Museum
26 February 2010 – February 2011
Included in Edinburgh Castle admission
This new exhibition tells the important story of the Women’s Land Army (WLA) and Women’s Timber Corps (WTC) in Scotland. >From roots in the First World War, these Land Girls and Lumber Jills played a vital role in feeding the nation and providing timber. Objects include a formal uniform from the 1940s right up to the 2008 medal awarded to all surviving members of both the WLA and WTC.
‘Land girls’ took on all types of agricultural work from sowing to harvesting, calving to shearing, whilst the Women’s Timber Corps supplied the wood. Some volunteered but others were conscripted as by 1941 all women under the age of 60, without children under 14, could be called up for essential war work. Public recognition of the vital hard work and commitment from these women arrived in 2008 when they were issued with a medal which incorporated the designs from both the Land Army badge and that of the Timber Corps, along with a certificate of thanks from the Prime Minister.
Garden Detectives
National Museum of Rural Life
Free with museum admission
What lurks at the bottom of your garden? See the natural world through the eyes of a detective. Delve into hedges, take a peek in our shed and unearth wonders from our flower beds and pond. Explore habitats, study food chains, track animals and discover what they get up to while you’re asleep! Inspired by the work of Charles Darwin, Garden Detectives turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. Take a larger-than-life look at plants and flowers, learn fascinating facts about nature and experience all the sounds and smells of a real garden, without getting your hands dirty.
Treasured: Wonderful Things, Amazing Stories
National Museum of Scotland
Until 2011
Free
This exhibition offers the chance to discover some of the most extraordinary treasures in the care of National Museums Scotland. Featuring over 300 objects drawn from the four corners of the globe and spanning across centuries, Treasured: Wonderful Things, Amazing Stories celebrates the wonder and diversity of the National Museums’ world-class collections. From a Sumatran tiger to a Victorian corset, Treasured is an eclectic mix of the spectacular, extraordinary, precious and personal. The exhibition provides a link to the Royal Museum collections during closure, casting new light on familiar objects and also giving a first glimpse of some of the objects which will feature in the redeveloped National Museum of Scotland when it re-opens in 2011.
Events/activities
National Museum of Scotland
Summer events
Summer Science
Weekdays Mon 12 – Fri 30 July
Connect gallery
11:00 – 13:00/
14:00 – 16:00
Age 5+
Free (Drop-in)
Join in our three-week programme of science fun, featuring scientists and astronomers from the Edinburgh Royal Observatory and the University of Edinburgh. We have everything from Huge Telescopes to Build a Superbug workshops! Check www.nms.ac.uk/events for details.
A Slice of Life
Mon 19 July – Sun 8 August
11:00 – 13:00/
14:00 – 16:00
Free (Drop-in)
Step back in time and encounter everyday characters from Scottish history, all with a story to tell. From an alewife to a steam engine driver – who will you meet today? There will be two characters daily – check the information screens for gallery locations.
Sounds Global
Sat 24 – Sun 25 July
Hawthornden Court
Level 1 and galleries
12:00-16:00
Free (Drop-in)
For one weekend…. music and dance take over as we bring Bhangra beats to the National Museum of Scotland. The Edinburgh Bhangra Crew will be leading dance workshops and Scottish urban dance act, Tigerstyle will be mixing hip-hop samples with their own brand of Bhangra music
For more details visit www.nms.ac.uk/events for details.
Part of Stories of the World, one of the major projects at the heart of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
Free Fringe Music
Mon 9 – Sat 28 August
Hawthornden Court
12:45 (45mins)
Free
Liven up your lunchtime at the Museum! Sit back and enjoy the music of some of Scotland’s most talented musicians – for free! Drawing on the Lewis Chessmen for inspiration, our programme stretches from Norway to the shores of Lewis. From fiddles and flutes to ballads and brass, why not join us everyday during the festival for an uplifting lunchtime. For more details visit www.nms.ac.uk/fringe
Fringe Finale Ceilidh
Sun 29 August
Hawthornden Court
14:00 (1hr 30mins)
Free
Join our popular local ceilidh band the Canongate Cadjers as we round off our annual Fringe programme in traditional style. All are welcome to come and clap along, learn some steps and enjoy a good shindig.
Weekend events
Connect Super Science Shows
Connect gallery
Every Sat and Sun
12:15/13:15/14:15/15:15 (20mins)
Age 5+
Limited space (seating for 20)
Free
Come along to our free events every weekend in Connect. Find out about science in the real world at our Meet the Scientist events or enjoy a Super Science Show!
Free Tours: Scottish Collections
Tours leave from the Hawthornden Court meeting point:
Highlights Tour (1hr)
Daily 11:30/13:30
Themed Tour (1hr)
Daily 14:30
Family Tour (15mins)
Sat 14:00
Treasured: Wonderful Things, Amazing Stories Tour (1hr)
Tue 15:00/Fri 12:00
Information about topics for themed and family tours can be found on the museum’s information screens and on our websitewww.nms.ac.uk/tours.
National War Museum
Special events
Women at War
Sat 17 – Sun 18 July
9:45 – 16:00
Events are included in Castle admission
Find out how women joined the war effort. Did they enrol or face conscription? Listen to stories of the horrors of casualty stations and the back-breaking toil of digging the land.
Life in the Trenches
Sat 7 – Sun 8 August
9:45 – 16:00
Events are included in Castle admission
What was it like wearing a kilt in the trenches? Learn about the hardships faced by the Gordon Highlanders during the First World War. Our regular troops are joined by the nursing corps, who share the importance of their role in the conflict.
Medieval Mercenaries
Sat 21 – Sun 22 August
9:45 – 16:00
Events are included in Castle admission
Fourteenth century Scottish soldiers – blue faces, kilts and Mel Gibson, right? Uncover the real story, from mercenaries to knights in armour. See our battle demonstrations and hands-on medieval workshops.
National Museum of Flight
Special events
Airshow 2010
Sat 24 July
10:00 – 17:00
Check the website for prices and early bird discounts
Set coordinates for our annual air display – it’s an action-packed, adrenalin-fuelled family day out!
See the Clan Cycle Stunt Team, visit our family zone and spend time in our hangars and attractions. Look to the skies in the afternoon for more than two hours of high-octane aerial displays. Keep an eye on the website or sign up for email alerts to get the latest information www.nms.ac.uk/flight
National Museum of Rural Life
Special events
Heavy Horse Show
Sun 18 July
10:00 – 17:00
Adult £7, Conc £6, Child 12 and under free, National Museums Scotland members free
See nearly 200 of the largest and smallest horses at one of Scotland’s biggest heavy horse shows.
Watch Clydesdale horses at work and being tacked up. Enjoy show classes in the ring, pony rides, donkey classes, agility courses and craft and tail-dressing workshops. Acrobats, magicians and jugglers round out the family fun!
Go Wild in the Country
Fri 25 June – Mon 23 August
11:30/14:00 (2hrs)
Booking essential on 0131 247 4369
Enjoy country activities including den-making, ranger skills, photography and our Garden Detectives exhibition. Make a day of it with a picnic and trips on our Farm Explorer.
National Museum of Costume
Special events
Watch the birdie!
Sun 25 July
11:00 – 16:00
Free with Museum admission
Dress up in hats and parasols to pose amongst potted ferns and columns for your very own sepia-toned photograph. How did the Victorians take photos? Find out from our experts with demonstrations of cameras, illusions and photographic papers.
Museum addresses:
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
National War Museum, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, EH1 2NG
National Museum of Flight, East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian EH39 5LF
National Museum of Costume, Shambellie House, New Abbey, Dumfries, DG2 8HQ
National Museum of Rural Life, Wester Kittochside, Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR
For booking, opening times and location details, contact National Museums Scotland on 0131 225 7534/www.nms.ac.uk