Museum of Scotland

The Museum of Scotland (2005)

The Museum of Scotland is a museum of Scottish history and culture opened in 1998 on Chambers Street in Edinburgh . When it opened in 1998, the new building was combined with the adjacent Royal Museum . The two museums together form the National Museum of Scotland , which, together with the National War Museum , the National Museum of Costume , the National Museum of Rural Life and the National Museum of Flight, is one of the national museums in Scotland. The building was designed by Benson & Forsyth .

The Museum of Scotland contains the collections of the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland and the Scottish-related objects of the Royal Museum. Entry to the permanent exhibition is free.

Permanent exhibition

The permanent exhibition includes sculptures by Eduardo Paolozzi , the Monymusk Reliquary , ten of the Lewis chess pieces , a Union Jack and a flag of Scotland , both of which were hoisted at the Battle of Culloden , paintings by Margaret MacDonald Mackintosh and sculptures by Andy Goldsworthy .

The exhibition is structured chronologically, in the basement from Prehistory to the Early Middle Ages, on the ground floor the development of the Kingdom of Scotland from the Middle Ages to the early modern period, on the exhibition levels above the political and socio-economic transformation of Scotland in the age of industrialization, its further development in the Victorian era Age and early 20th century and in the top, finally, those of the last decades.

architecture

The architecture of the building was controversial from the start. Prince Charles withdrew his patronage of the building in 1991 after the announcement of the winner of the tender. Originally, the new building was intended to complement the adjacent Royal Museum, built in the 19th century, but a completely different design was ultimately chosen. The museum consists of geometric shapes and is reminiscent of Le Corbusier's architecture . However, the architects built a also some references to Scotland, so the building has a Broch -like tower and a castle-like appearance. The facade consists of Moray - sandstone . In 1999 the building was nominated for the Stirling Prize .