Several museums in Scotland contain an unending maze of enthralling artifacts. If you like, think of them as enormous wonder cabinets and memory theaters that display a collection of oddities. With our guide to the top museums in Scotland, go off on a grand tour around the globe and learn everything you can.
1. National Museum Of Scotland
The Chambers Street Museum in Edinburgh is a wonderful place to learn about not only Scottish history and tradition but also significant events that affected other regions of the world.
It is well known that visiting the main hall is the best kind of therapy because of the impressive architecture, the airy, lofty space, and the dancing light show that gives the exhibits a fresh perspective. The mammal collection is enormous, the exhibits are fascinating, and the experience as a whole is unmatched.
2. Kelvingrove Art Gallery And Museum
There’s a reason Kelvingrove is one of Scotland’s most visited museums; it’s like seeing into the mind of the most fascinating person to have ever lived. The stunning Spanish Baroque edifice, located in Glasgow’s West End on the banks of the River Kelvin, is impossible to miss, and the interior is no less stunning.
Those who come for the natural history collections won’t be let down, and the collection of weapons and armor is thought to be among the best in the world. Christ of Saint John of the Cross by Salvador Dal is prominently displayed among the coveted European artworks. The variety of decorative arts produced by Anne Hull Grundy leaves one speechless.
3. Riverside Museum
You can’t deny the architectural prowess of Zaha Hadid in the design and general spirit of Riverside Museum, a daring combination of sharp zigzag angles and light. Being the headquarters of Glasgow’s transport museum, the collection of artifacts includes everything from bikes and trains to luxurious vehicles and pretty much anything else with a wheel or motor!
Of course, a variety of ship models and supporting information aid in illustrating Glasgow’s history as a former center of the shipbuilding industry. Overall, a must-see museum that merits a full day of exploration.
4. Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
Rome, of course! You must make an unplanned trip to the Robert Burns Museum if you visit (or reside in) Scotland. The flurry of fascinating artifacts, artworks, games, and exhibits admirably depict his life narrative.
See the famed Brig o’Doon, the bridge from which Tam in William Shakespeare’s poem Tam o’Shanter escaped the wicked forces, and visit Burns Cottage, the actual location of Burns’ first greeting to the world. Also worth spending time on are the evocative gardens and the monument with the nine Greek mythological pillars.
5. Hunterian Museum
Just another gem to come from the University of Glasgow, the Hunterian is the oldest museum in Scotland. Many widely varying topics, including The Mackintosh House, The Zoology Museum, The Hunterian Art Gallery, and The Anatomy Museum, are scattered among several buildings. Each is just as enthralling as the last.
Most of the vast and spectacular collections were a gift from Scottish anatomist and physician William Hunter to the university in 1783 after his passing. With exhibitions for days on end, the Hunterian is one of those wonderful locations that send a pleasant kind of shivers up your spine.
6. Shetland Museum
The Shetland Museum, which is located in Lerwick, is almost as spectacular and captivating as Shetland itself. Expertly organized exhibits of Shetland’s history and legacy from the 1800s to the present are on display in two floors of display galleries. Every object offers a tale worth hearing, just like Shetlanders.
Crucially, this real wonder cabinet includes information on all facets of Shetland’s history, including the agricultural, geographic, environmental, political, cultural, and geological aspects, with a concentration on particular items that were most common to the local population. They have boats as well, in typical Shetland fashion!
7. V&A Dundee
The beautiful V&A Dundee is a prime example of world-class architecture and houses collections that highlight the best in both worldwide and Scottish design. It is housed in a purpose-built riverbank structure.
8. Aberdeen Art Gallery
This revitalized gallery, which was named the Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2020, is a must-see attraction in Aberdeen, known as the Granite City. The collection features notable pieces by well-known artists and designers from around the world, such as Henry Raeburn and Joan Eardley.
9. Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
This Inverness museum, which debuted in 1826, offers an intriguing look into the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands. The museum is brimming with informative exhibitions, displays, workshops, and performances on anything from geology and archaeology to the dramatic past of the Jacobites.
