National Museums Scotland listings 2 March - 13 April 2009

National Museums Scotland
listings

2 March - 13 April 2009

Highlights

Helmand: Faces of Conflict

National War Museum

Until Sun 31 January 2010

Included in Edinburgh Castle admission

Helmand: Faces of Conflict at the National War Museum features the
photography of Robert Wilson, war artist with Edinburgh's
52 Infantry Brigade. From the faces of weary men returning from three weeks on
patrol to the dusty landscape of their surroundings, Wilson captures
the lives of soldiers and civilians with an unflinching sense of intimacy.

Jean
Muir: A Fashion
Icon
National Museum of Scotland
Until Sun 15 March at the National Museum of Scotland (Free)
Fri 3 April - Fri 31 October at the National Museum of Costume (included
in museum admission)

Jean
Muir: A Fashion Icon
presents selected highlights from National Museums Scotland's priceless Jean Muir collection.
The exhibition contains elements of her design, manufacturing and marketing
processes, showcasing sketches, pattern pieces, a toile (trial garment), fabric
samples and 30 finished garments and accessories.

Jean
Muir was part of the British design revolution of the 1960s. Her look was based
on signature fabrics, colours, details as well as precision cut and fit.
Fabric, texture and strict attention to detail were of paramount importance.
Garments were designed to skim and flatter the body with movement, and Jean Muir
collections gained dedicated followers the world over. Her work has graced the
wardrobes of celebrities including Lauren Bacall, Joanna Lumley, Barbra
Streisand, Judi Dench and Diana Rigg.

Jean
Muir events are sponsored by Pagan Osborne.

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.

Scotland:
A Changing Nation

National Museum of Scotland
New permanent gallery

Free

Our major new gallery celebrates Scotland's
great contributions to the world, as part of the Homecoming Scotland 2009
programme. The gallery explores war, industry, daily life, social change and
emigration, as well as Scottish achievement in sport, culture, medicine,
science and technology.

Reflecting the vibrancy and diversity of Scottish culture
during the past century, Scotland: A
Changing Nation
creates a thought-provoking glimpse into Scottish
social history.

Events/activities

National Museum of Scotland

Understanding Technology: Train
Technology

Dunfermline Room

Thu 5 March

15:00 (1hr 30mins)
Free

Professor Colin Divall of York University
talks about making a train a desirable technology.

Presented in association with the
Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation, University of Edinburgh.


The Jean
Muir Archive: Conserving the Collection

Special Exhibitions gallery
Fri 6 March

14:00 (1hr)
Free

A second chance to hear Lynn McClean, Head of Paper and Textiles Conservation,
and Miriam McLeod, Textile Conservator, discuss their fascinating
behind-the-scenes work to conserve and preserve the Jean
Muir Collection
for the future. Limited spaces.

Big K'Nex Construction
Session

Hawthornden Court

Sun 8, Sun 15 March

11:00 -
16:00

Free (Drop-in)

A bumper K'Nex event to mark
National Science and Engineering Week 2009!  Build anything your
imagination allows - from
bridges and robots to space buggies!

Dinosaurs, Feathers and Ferns

Hawthornden Court

Wed 11 March

19:00 (1hr)

£5/£4/Members free

Book now on 0131 225 7534

Nick Fraser, Keeper of Natural Sciences, shares his exciting
discovery of new Chinese fossils he came across while examining the feathered
dinosaurs of Liaoning province
on an exchange trip.

Scottish
Traditions of Dance Trust

Hawthornden Court

Sun 5 April

13:45/14:45
(30mins)

Free

Get your toes
tapping to the sounds and spectacle of Scottish traditional dance with a
variety of performers, dance styles and music.

Curator's Choice: The Colonisation of
the British Isles
by Mice and Voles

Dunfermline Room

Fri 13 March

14:00 (1hr)

£5/£4/Members free

Book now on 0131 225 7534

Jerry Herman, Senior Curator of Mammals, looks at how the
DNA of two of our commonest mammals can be used to look back in time. Where did
they come from and how did they spread through Britain
after the last Ice Age?

Jean Muir... After Hours
Hawthornden Court
and Special Exhibitions gallery

Fri 13 March

19:00 (2hrs)
Free
Book now on 0131 225 7534

Enjoy a sophisticated evening of fashion, Jean Muir style!  Explore the
collection in a late-night opening of the exhibition, whilst enjoying a glass
of fizz, hair and make-up demonstrations and a fashion show by Edinburgh
College of Art students, as they present their designs inspired by the Jean
Muir Collection. Limited places, so bookings are essential.

Jean Muir events are
sponsored by Pagan Osborne.

Early Music Forum of Scotland
Levels 1 and 2

Sun 22 March

12:45 -
15:45
Free (Drop-in)

Enjoy an afternoon of early music performed by a number of small ensembles, all
playing an amazing variety of period instruments.

Sunday Morning Music
Level 1 galleries

Sun 29 March

11:00 (1hr)
Free

Enjoy a relaxing Sunday morning stroll through the galleries to the soothing
sounds of talented young musicians.

In association with
Live Music Now! Scotland.

Cleanse the Causeway
Hawthornden Court

Sun 29 March

12:45/13:45/14:45 (20mins)
Free

Join Living History Scotland as they
provide an interpretation of the weaponry and clothing used during this bloody
street battle between the Douglas and Hamilton followers in Edinburgh, 1520.

Connect
Super Science Shows

Connect gallery

Every Saturday and
Sunday 12:15/13:15/14:15/15:15

Free

Come along to our
free events every week in Connect. Find out about science in the real world at
our Meet the Scientist events or
enjoy a Super Science Show!

Edinburgh
International Science Festival

Discover
Science with the University of Edinburgh at
the Museum

Discover
what's going on in the world of science with real scientists. Explore
medical and veterinary science, pop in to a workshop or see a show about all
kinds of fascinating science! Event prices vary.

Mini-pod
Puppet Show
Special Exhibitions gallery

Mon 6 - Thu 9
April
10:00 - 16:30

Free (Drop-in)

Age 7+

Do you know what
renewable energy is? Measure the energy from solar panels and try other
activities with our Mini-pod and puppet pals Ricky and Lulu.

Discover
Evolution
Special Exhibitions gallery

Mon 6 - Thu 9
April
10:00 - 16:30

Free (Drop-in)

Age 7+

Did you know that
2009 sees the bicentenary of Darwin's
birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his work On the Origin of Species? Find out all
about evolution with our biologists.

Meet
the Medics and Vets
Hawthornden Court

Wed 8 - Tue
14 April
10:00 - 16:30

Free (Drop-in)

Age 5+

Find out about the
research being done by scientists in medicine and veterinary medicine.

Creative
Computing
Special Exhibitions gallery

Fri 10 - Tue
14 April
10:30/12:30/14:30 (1hr 30mins)

£3

Age 10 - 15

Book now on 0131
533 0322

Program animated
characters with the SCRATCH programming language and make them respond to light
or the sound of your voice!

Robot
Fun
Special Exhibitions gallery

Fri 10 - Tue
14 April
10:00 - 16:30

Free (Drop-in)

Age 6+

Have fun teaching
our robots new tricks. Will this be the year you beat our famous robot at a
game of Connect 4?

Show
Science

Connect gallery

Mon 6 - Fri
10 April

14:00 (20mins)

Free

Age 5+

Explore a different
topic each day from archaeology to zoology. Meet museum staff, see objects and
specimens not usually on display and find out about the science used to
preserve, identify and investigate!

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
from Tue 3 March

Information about
topics for themed and family tours can be found on the Museum's
information screens and on our website www.nms.ac.uk/tours

National
Museums Collections Centre Tours

Tower entrance

Wed 8, Mon 13 April

14:00 (2hrs
including travel)

Free

Book now on 0131
225 7534

Join us on a
fascinating tour of our National Collections Centre at Granton. See
conservation in action and discover some of the amazing objects in our collections.

Includes
free return shuttle service from the National Museum of Scotland.

National Museum of Flight

Edinburgh
International Science Festival

Fantastic
Flight - The Flying Forces Show

Fri 10 - Sun
19 April

11:00/12:00/14:00/15:00
(20mins)

Age 3+

What holds an
aeroplane in the air and what makes it come back down to earth? Why will a
certain design of aeroplane not go much faster even with a much bigger engine?
Discover the answers to these questions through our interactive science show
led by our fantastic facilitators.

Fantastic
Flight - Flingers

Fri 10 - Sun
19 April

11:30 -
13:00/14:00 - 16:00 (20mins)

Age 3+

Will your fantastic
fingers fold a paper aeroplane that you can fling the furthest? Drop in to our
workshop and let us help you make a range of designs that can go the distance.

Fantastic
Flight - Footprints

Fri 10 - Sun
19 April

10:00 - 17:00
(30mins)

Age 3+

Can you spot the
way that the physical forces of flight have shaped our aircraft? Follow the
clues then find the answers on our trail for all the family.

National Museum of Costume

Easter
Egg Hunt

Sun 12, Mon 13 April
11:00 - 16:00

Free with museum entry

Fun for all the family. Join us in the house and grounds for
an Easter extravaganza with quizzes, trails and games throughout the day. Will
you find the golden eggs hidden around the museum?

National Museum of Rural Life

Mother's Day

Sun 22 March

14:00 - 16:00 (Drop-in)

Join in our craft workshop and make something special for
mum. All ages welcome.

Spring Stargazing

Wed 25 March

19:00 (2hrs)

Booking essential on 0131 247 4369

Try your hand at astronomy with the
Clydesdale Astronomical Society (weather permitting) and find out what the
heavens have to offer in springtime.

Spring
into Easter

Sun 12 April

10:00 - 17:00

Meet our Easter bunnies, join the Mad
Hatter's tea party and complete our Easter egg trail! Enter your
decorated egg into our Best Egg competition or show off your pet at our annual
PetShow - call 0131 247 4369 to register.

Sunday
Craft Sessions

Sun 15, Sun 29 March

14:00 - 16:00 (Drop-in)

Get crafty at one of our regular sessions
and make something to take away with you.

Wednesday
parent and toddler sessions

Wed 11 and Wed 25 March, Wed 8 April

13:00 (1hr)

Parents with pre-school children are
welcome to join us. Song time, story time or craft time - come along and
see which session is on, or call us on 0131 247 4369.

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 247 4422/www.nms.ac.uk

Please note that National Museums Scotland (no
‘of' or ‘the) is our corporate name. Our individual museums
are called National Museum of Scotland, National Museum of Flight, National
Museum of Rural Life, National Museum of Costume and National War Museum.

"The world's greatest dressmaker." Jean Muir: A
Fashion Icon.
http://www.nms.ac.uk/jeanmuir <http://www.nms.ac.uk/jeanmuir>

National Museums Scotland, Scottish Charity, No. SC
011130