Royal Museum of Scotland

The Royal Museum stands in Chambers Street in Edinburgh. It opened in 1888 and was designed by Francis Fowke, who also worked on the Royal Albert Hall. The building mixes a Neorenaissance exterior with a light-filled entrance hall inspired by the Crystal Palace. In 1998 it was joined to the new Museum of Scotland next door. Together they form the National Museum of Scotland, which includes several specialist museums across the country. The museum is worth visiting for its wide-ranging collections. The permanent displays cover geology, archaeology, natural history, science, technology and art. Among the highlights is the preserved body of Dolly, the first cloned mammal. Visitors can also see an Egyptian collection, a whale skeleton and modern pieces such as an extravagant suit worn by Elton John. Temporary exhibitions have featured designers like Jean Muir and artists such as Pablo Picasso. Inside, the whale skeleton is housed in a newly reopened wing. The learning centre offers hands-on experiments, a driving simulator and touch objects in the animal and geology areas. Workshops and activities run for all ages. The museum’s varied spaces show how science, art and history can be explored together.