Molar bear: Museum exhibits spruced up ahead of big reopening
Anna Starkey, the collections care manager for National Museums Scotland, brushes a polar bear in preparation for the reopening of the National Museum of Scotland on 19 August. The reopening dates for several of the biggest museums across Scotland have been announced.
The new director of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, the nation’s busiest visitor attraction, has revealed plans to reopen to the public - after more than five months of enforced shutdown.
Visitors will have to pre-book tickets for the free attraction, which dates back 154 years, when it finally emerges from lockdown on 19 August.
The museum will be reopening more than a month after the date visitor attractions were given and after the Scottish school holidays are over. It will be keeping some areas closed to ensure physical distancing can be maintained, however its shops and cafes will be operating again.
The reopening plans are being overseen by Christopher Breward, who took over as director from Dr Gordon Rintoul during the museum’s temporary closure, which was announced on 17 March.
The National Museum, which has been the UK’S busiest attraction outside London in recent years, attracted 2.21 million visitors last year, marginally more than Edinburgh Castle, which is due to reopen on 1 August.
The National Galleries of Scotland has yet to announce reopening dates for its sites in Edinburgh. However attractions which have now opened include Edinburgh Zoo, the Royal Botanic Garden, the Royal Yacht Britannia and Camera Obscura.