8 Things to See at the National Museum of Scotland
If you're travelling up to Edinburgh this summer, then you should definitely pay a visit to the National Museum of Scotland. There are loads of things on display there that will give you an insight into history, nature and world cultures. Here's a list of everything worth seeing while you're there.
1. Dolly the Sheep
Dolly the Sheep, named after Dolly Parton herself, is a world-famous sheep for the reason that she was the first cloned mammal from an adult somatic cell. She was born in July 1996 with a white face - a clear sign that she had been cloned and was not biologically related to her surrogate mother, who had a black furry face.
Dolly was derived from three mothers: one who provided the DNA, one who provided the egg and one who carried Dolly to birth. She lived to the age of six, but had to be put to sleep after developing lung disease. She gave birth to six babies herself throughout her lifetime. Her body is on display at the National Museum of Scotland.
2. City views from the rooftop terrace
Go up to the roof terrace if you're looking for unrivalled views of Edinburgh. While you'll have birds eye views of the city from the castle, the views you can experience from the museum are second-to-none. Once you've done with all of the exhibits, go and have a gander - you won't be sorry!
3. Arthur's Seat Coffins
Mystery surrounds the creepy 17 miniature coffins that were discovered on Arthur's seat, which is a famous hill in Edinburgh. There are many theories about the coffins, including where they came from and what they're for. Despite them being examined by experts around the world, the puzzle still remains unsolved.
4. Moby the Whale
The skull alone weighs around 1.5 tonnes, and was originally attached to a 40-foot-long Sperm Whale. It was found beached in 1997 on the banks of the River Forth. At the time, he was the first beached whale to be found there in more than 200 years.
Affectionately named 'Moby' at the time of his discovery, he struggled to survive, despite tireless efforts of those surrounding him to save his life. Sadly, he died. His skeleton was later donated, with his skull being displayed at the National Museum of Scotland.
5. The Lewis Chessmen
A staggering archaeological find, the Lewis Chessmen is believed to have been created in Norway during the time of the 12th Century. It's said that, in 1831, someone called Malcolm McLeod came across a 93-piece chess set on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides.
Mostly made of walrus ivory, the pieces were discovered on a beach, but circumstances are shrouded around the true story of its discovery. It's a common theory that they were never intended to be chess pieces at all. Make up your own mind when you visit the exhibit at the National Museum of Scotland.
6. The Natural World gallery
Said to be home to over 50,000 mammals from across the globe, this gallery helps you to understand and appreciate the breadth and diversity of the animal kingdom. There's even a skeleton of a T-Rex for those who are into creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.
7. Earth in Space
This gallery looks at the Earth and the role is plays in the Solar System and the Universe. Take a look at the Schmidt telescope, also called the Schmidt camera. It's a groundbreaking, innovative invention that allowed large swathes of the sky to be photographed in quick time. The images captured were then used to build an atlas of the sky. Invented in 1930 by Bernhard Schmidt, it weighs over 3.2 tonnes.
8. World Cultures
To travel the world without having to leave Edinburgh, go and visit the World Cultures exhibition. Learn about traditional tribes and fascinating cultural differences through archaeological finds, fine arts and decorative arts. Feast your eyes on the Statue of Weituo, the Qurna burial, the only intact royal burial group outside of Egypt, the Tibetan Prayer Wheel House and the Maori war canoe, known as a Waka.
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i hope you enjoyed this blog post and that you found it useful? Let me know in the comments below what you enjoyed most about your visit to the National Museum of Scotland and I'll see you all again very soon with some brand new content!
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