Edinburgh - Royal Museum of Scotland

Not far to the east along Chambers Street lies the Royal Museum of Scotland, currently housed in a Victorian-style building that was built between 1861 and 1888, although it is hoped that a new extension will be completed by the end of the 1990s. The airy entrance hall with fountains playing between Asiatic sculptures and Mediterranean-style palm trees is ringed by gallery arches. It must rank as one of the most successful cast iron constructions on Scottish soil. The plans were drawn up by Captain Francis Fowke of the Royal Engineers along the lines of London's Crystal Palace. The museum is divided into archaeological, ethnographic, natural history, geological and technological departments and exhibits range from primitive art to the space age. On the ground floor the Hall of Power offers visitors the opportunity to generate energy, while other exhibitions cover the evolution of man, insects, birds and mammals, the achievements of the Industrial Revolution (steam engines, locomotives, lighthouses, bridge construction etc.) and the early days of photography. The library is situated on the first floor together with displays of European art from the 15th to the 19th century, ancient Egypt, costume, timepieces and the work of modern goldsmiths. The second floor concentrates on Chinese and Islamic art, minerals, fossils and the development of scientific instruments.

Changing exhibitions of costumes and textiles are usually drawn from their outstanding collection. The content is mainly Scottish in nature.