National Museum of Scotland Edinburgh: hours, tickets and getting there

The museum is on Chambers Street in central Edinburgh, and its collections range from Scotland’s past to science, design and cultures from around the world.

Inside, the museum map groups galleries under Natural World; Art, Design and Fashion; Scotland; World Cultures; and Science and Technology. That range makes it possible to focus on one subject or move between quite different areas during a visit. The museum’s location also makes it a natural stop while exploring Edinburgh Old Town and the Royal Mile.

The National Museum of Scotland is about 2.5 miles from Twin Lions Hotel, a hotel in Edinburgh. You can plan the journey around the museum’s Chambers Street address; it has two entrances on that street.

Choose the Main Entrance or the Tower Entrance. The Tower Entrance avoids the busy Entrance Hall and provides level access to the main part of the museum.

The museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00, and general admission is free. Some special exhibitions charge for entry, so check the official site before you go.

Opening hours

• Monday to Sunday: 10:00–17:00

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

For a free visit, you can head to the permanent galleries; a special exhibition may have a separate ticket charge. The museum’s telephone number is 0300 123 6789.

The museum’s galleries cover several broad subjects, so choose a few areas to focus on if you want to shape your visit around particular interests.

Use the map’s categories—Natural World, Art, Design and Fashion, Scotland, World Cultures, and Science and Technology—to pick a starting point. The Level 0 lunch space may be used for picnics when it is not in use by schools or other large groups.

Eating and drinking are not allowed in the galleries. The museum can fit into a one-day Edinburgh itinerary alongside other city sights.

The museum has step-free access arrangements, visitor facilities on several floors, and an outdoor Roof Terrace with views across Edinburgh.

Automatic doors are fitted at all entrances, and lifts serve every floor. Wheelchairs are available to borrow at no charge from the information desks; they cannot be reserved in advance, so ask about availability on arrival.

Accessible toilets are on all floors, and a Changing Places toilet is in the Entrance Hall on Level 0. Assistance dogs are welcome. Induction loops are available at the Main Entrance and Tower Entrance information desks, the Auditorium and the Dunfermline Room lecture theatre.

Self-service lockers are in the Entrance Hall on Level 0. All-day storage charges start from £3, and using a locker requires a smartphone with mobile payment or a credit card, or a cash voucher bought from the shop.

The Roof Terrace is open from 10:00 to 16:45. Reach it by stairs from the Industry and Empire gallery on Level 5 or by the Terrace Lift. It has wooden benches and views of Edinburgh Castle, the Old Town skyline, St Giles Cathedral and Arthur’s Seat; smoking is not permitted there.