‘The museum is now one of the great national museums of the world’
It is one of Scotland’s most iconic institutions, an Edinburgh grande dame beloved by generations of visitors. The National Museum of Scotland may be on the wrong side of her 150th birthday but she’s looking pretty spritely today following the unveiling of the culmination of an ambitious £80m makeover, writes Angela Wyld
As part of a 15-year redevelopment, 26 new galleries spanning the arts, sciences, humanities and world cultures have already opened. From dinosaurs and Dolly the sheep to bicycles and ball gowns, thousands of objects have gone on display. Today they’re joined by mummy masks and Ming porcelain as the final three galleries open their doors and the transformation draws to a conclusion.
In 2011 the first key stage of the project was unveiled, with 16 brand-new galleries and major architectural interventions. A new entry was created at street level, with visitors being welcomed into an atmospheric entrance hall and moving up into the lightfilled Grand Gallery; one of Scotland’s most spectacular interiors. In 2016 a further ten galleries – focusing on applied art, design, fashion, science and technology – were opened, and a piazza was created at the front of the building.
The final three galleries explore the remarkable cultural heritage of ancient Egypt and East Asia and the diversity of ceramics. More than 1,300 objects – from an intact royal burial to a suit of Samurai armour – have been selected for display, 40 per cent of which will be on show for the first time in generations.
The project was the brainchild of the museum’s director, Dr Gordon Rintoul, who joined the organisation in 2002 and immediately identified the need to restore the Victorian building, reveal more of its treasures and upgrade the visitor experience.
“Our starting point was asking our visitors what they liked about the museum and what could be improved,” he says. “It was clear that while the building was a much-loved institution, it was tired and needed modernisation.”
When he arrived, the oldest gallery was at least 70 years old and was, he says, “dated and static”. Today, layered interpretation and creative displays have changed all that. “We have brought a sense of drama to the spaces and installed over 300 audio visual programmes and interactives to engage visitors of all ages,” he says. “Along the way, we have reviewed our collections and have been able to put many objects on display for the first time in generations, some for the first time ever.”
These include everything from a Maori war canoe to the oldest British aircraft in existence. Visitors to the museum can get up close to dozens of taxidermy specimens. They can marvel at ceramics and glassware by Picasso, admire haute couture dresses and cower beneath a roaring tyrannosaurus-rex cast skeleton.
Then there are the hundreds of objects which have been newly acquired to go on display in the redeveloped galleries. These range from a solid gold and sardonyx tazza which belonged to the Duke of Hamilton to Charles Rennie Mackintosh furniture, Alexander Mcqueen shoes and a copper accelerating cavity used in the Large Electron Positron Collider.
It is the sheer breadth of the collections on display which makes the National Museum unique. “It’s a very special place,” says Rintoul. “It is one of the few national museums across the globe where you can explore the whole world under one roof. It brings together the arts and sciences, the cultures of Scotland and the world and the full spectrum of human ingenuity alongside the diversity of the natural world.”
He points out that the redevelopment takes the building back to its Victorian roots in many ways. The museum was set up with the stated aim of linking Scotland to the world and the world to Scotland. “We have kept that goal in mind throughout this project,” he says.
One clever nod to the history of the institution and the chaotic charm of Victorian museums is Window on the World, the largest museum display in the UK. Spanning the full length and triple-height of the Grand Gallery, it is inspired by cabinets of curiosities; rooms or cases within which large and diverse collections were traditionally displayed.
The Grand Gallery has acted as a gathering point for locals and tourists alike for generations. Indeed in the late-19th century it even had a bar. Today the Museum Lates
Over 2.3 million people visited last year, more than three times the number of visitors before the redevelopment
programme sees its doors flung open after-hours, with live music, drinks, dancing and activities themed around special exhibitions.
“Visitors now come here from near and far for all sorts of reasons,” says Rintoul. “For some people it is a place to come with their young family, for others it is a place to explore new subjects or admire beautiful objects. School groups come to be educated, art students come seeking inspiration, and some people simply enjoy the museum as an uplifting and contemplative space. We have tried to design a museum with visitors at its heart and it is terrific that so many people now come to enjoy the transformation.”
Over 2.3 million people annually, to be precise. That’s more than three times the number of visitors before the redevelopment and has made the National Museum of Scotland the most popular attraction in the UK outside of London. Nearly half of the museum’s visitors are from overseas, with just over a third from Scotland and the rest from other parts of the UK.
The £3.6m project to create the final three galleries extends far beyond the museum’s walls, however, seeking to engage people from around Scotland with the National Collection. A national programme of activity involves working with partner museums across the country, by sharing collections, knowledge and expertise.
So what can visitors expect to see when they step in to the final three galleries today? The opening of Ancient Egypt Rediscovered coincides with the 200th anniversary of the first ancient Egyptian objects entering National Museums Scotland’s collections and the gallery explores how this ancient culture has evolved across more than 4,000 years of history. Outstanding objects include the only double coffin ever discovered in Egypt and a decorative box of King Amenhotep II.
Exploring East Asia celebrates the dynamic cultures of China, Japan and Korea, showcasing their diverse traditions, peoples and histories. Highlights include a Chinese lacquerware rice measure from the Ming dynasty and a rare and important Korean lotusshaped cup and stand from the 13th century.
Art of Ceramics unites themes from across the collections. Ceramics is a highly versatile medium in art and science and the gallery celebrates the creativity and diversity reflected in pieces from across the world.
Fifteen years and £80m later, the transformed museum is truly a public space for the 21st century which celebrates its historic origins. “We have worked tirelessly to transform this wonderful building, and are delighted to be unveiling the final three new galleries,” says Rintoul. “We set out to rediscover our collections and offer an inspiring experience for our visitors. The museum is now one of the great national museums of the world, which people can enjoy for generations to come.”
● For more information visit www.nms.ac.uk/ seethewholestory