Museums prepare to reopen to visitors

The reopening dates for National Museums Scotland venues have been announced after months of lockdown closures.

The National Museum of Flight in East Lothian will open on Wednesday August 5, the National Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride from Wednesday August 12 and the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh from Wednesday August 19.

Visitors to the museums will have to book, while enhanced cleaning, sneeze screens, hand sanitising stations and one-way routes have been put in place.

The reopening of the National War Museum at Edinburgh Castle will be announced at a later date in collaboration with Historic Environment Scotland and the opening of the other internal spaces at the historic site.

Chris Breward, director of National Museums Scotland, said: “We’ve missed our visitors and are thrilled to be welcoming them back to our museums.

“We have enjoyed creating a vibrant digital experience during closure but nothing compares with that exhilarating feeling which comes from encountering real objects in our unique buildings.

“It has been a difficult time for so many and we know our museums have a vital role to play in people’s lives – as places to enjoy time with family and friends, promoting wellbeing and offering inspiration through our wonderful collections.”

He added: “The safety of our staff and visitors is paramount and everyone can feel confident that we have been working incredibly hard across all of our sites to ensure their visit will be both safe and enjoyable.”

Picture: Paul Dodds. The National Museum of Flight will open up again on August 5.