I’m on the best of Scotland 13 day tour in August. I will be starting my trip with a few days in Edinburgh before meeting the tour in Glasgow. I haven’t seen a good answer for if the tour goes to the National Museum of Scotland, or should I see this by myself separately?
Also, how long do people spend there? I’m definitely interested in the Scottish history wing.
Thanks!
In looking at the current itinerary it does not state that the tour visits the National Museum. However, it IS listed under the “Here’s what is included” section. The day you walk thru Grassmarket and go to Greyfriars Cemetery, that is just across the street from the Museum so they may take you across and get you started. I am sure on my pre-Covid Best of Scotland that is where we saw it.
I’ll add that since you are going to be there ahead of time, I’d visit then as well. Often the tours don’t spend as much time as I’d like in museums and churches so I go on my own. I have a 2-3 hour museum max so even with 2 visits I did not see everything!
You can call the office to see what the specific timing is for Day 11.
This is a big museum and filled with an enormous range of things. I’m going in 2025 prior to a return trip to Orkney to see some of the artifacts they’ve dug from the Neolithic sites on the island. I’ve got the museum map bookmarked (insert eye roll here) to study before my trip. The purple end where the Scottish stuff is, is the closest to Greyfriars and if I remember correctly we entered that way.
https://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland/plan-your-visit/museum-map/
The National Museum of Scotland is fabulous! And it's also free! It is large, and there are many, many interesting exhibits. Such as Dolly the cloned sheep, Jackie Stewart's race car, prayer wheels from Tibet, and many others. The museum is a combination science, natural history, world cultures and Scottish history museum, with a gorgeous fashion exhibit. The main Grand Gallery is architecturally beautiful with a soaring ceiling and lots of light.
We spent about 3/4 of a day here including lunch. We were with a friend who does not love museums, and doesn't usually spend a lot of time in museums, but he found this museum fascinating!
We did this tour in October of 2022 and it looks like they have changed things around for the time in Edinburgh. When we came in to Edinburgh they had us staying in an hotel in New Town (B + B Edinburgh) so we had a tour of that area that afternoon. Then the next day a tour of the Royal Mile/old town/Princess Street Gardens/Greyfriars Cemetery ect which included a short tour I feel like less than 1 hour of the National Museum of Scotland. Then went to Edinburgh Castle. We did what you are going to do and started in Edinburgh for 1 1/2 days before heading to Glasgow to start the tour. We went to the National Museum before the tour and spent at least 2 hours so I would say call the office to ask them but I would go ahead of time. We also did Holyrood House and climbed Arthur’s Seat as well as St. Giles on the Royal Mile before the tour.
National Museum of Scotland is great, free to enter (it sometimes has special displays for an extra fee but lots and lots to see for free all the time). I can spend a couple hours in there easy.
There's a rooftop viewing area that is fun to find.
The museum is pretty much just across the street from the Bobby statue (please! do not touch Bobby's nose) and Greyfriars Kirkyard (way back in one corner see/read about the Covenanters Prison section).
I just returned from the Best of Scotland 13 day tour and we did NOT visit the National Museum of Scotland as a group.
Thanks everyone! I’m a museum fan so I will plan to see this on my own.
It’s fabulous, so much to see and beautifully presented.
Get up to the roof terrace for the view but don’t get blown away if it’s a windy day!
We lived in Edinburgh as children in the 60’s and used to go a lot for something to do on rainy days.
It’s all been nicely renovated since then, but has kept it’s old character.
