Industry and Empire, on Levels 4 and 5, explores how life in 19th century Scotland was moulded by industrial development. Contrast the mysterious superstitions surrounding the Arthur’s Seat coffins with the pioneering progress of Scottish engineering, represented by the mighty steam locomotive Ellesmere, and learn why many people chose or were forced to leave Scotland for a new life overseas.
Collections were themed not by discipline but by narrative – how they fitted into the story of Scotland, and the disciplines of geology, natural history, art, archaeology, industrial and social history and anthropology were abandoned in favour of the story.
Industry and Empire: looks at the impact of industrial change on Scotland, Scotland’s role in this and the contribution of the Scots to the Empire. Following the early innovations of steam and mechanical engineering. Scotland went on to pioneer many aspects of heavy engineering, with ship and locomotive production to the fore. The largest of the exhibits in Industry and Empire on Level 4 is the steam locomotive Ellesmere, which highlights the fact that in the nineteenth century Scotland was building more railway engines than anywhere else in the world.
As well as industrial porgress, other fields are covered too, including domectic life, leisure activities and the influence of Scots around the world, both as a result of emigration and through such luminaries as Jame Watt, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Robert Louis Stevenson.
In a section on Empire the Scots are seen to have provided labour, ideas, leadership and governance of the British Empire throughout the world.
From 1815 to 1930s about 52 million Europeans emigrated around the world. Ireland led the way with the most emigrants per head of the total population with Scotland and Norway vying for second place. This focus on the ambitions, achievements and character of the Scots has led to a lack of understanding as to how the Scots might, through their expansionism and enthusiasm for Empire, have impacted negatively on indigenous peoples.
The relationship of the National Museum of Scotland to Scottish nationalism is a complex one. On the one hand it is clearly a nationalist aspiration and offers a national story to the people of Scotland that strengthens Scotland’s claims to a identity
National Museum of Scotland wanted visitors to feel a sense of national pride, a recognition of Scotland’s place in the world, and a sense of amazement at the achievements of the past. Furthermore we hoped to stimulate a sense of fascination at the true, and largely untapped, richness and depth of Scotland’s inheritance.
National Museum of Scotland
National Museum of Scotland for collections of national and international importance, preserving them, interpreting them and making them accessible to as many people as possible.
National Museum of Scotland work with museums and communities across Scotland and beyond, introducing our collections to a much wider audience than can physically visit our museums, through partnerships, research, touring exhibitions, community engagement, digital programmes and loans.
National Museum of Scotland preserve, interpret and make accessible for all, the past and present of Scotland, other nations and cultures, and the natural world. National Museums of Scotland inspiring people, connecting Scotland to the world and the world to Scotland.
National Museum of Scotland’s collections are a legacy which we look after on behalf of everyone in Scotland. Our wealth of objects represent everything from Scottish and classical archaeology to applied arts and design; from world cultures and social history to science, technology and the natural world.
The National Museums Collection Centre, in Edinburgh, is home to millions of items not currently on display. It also houses state-of-the-art facilities for conservation, taxidermy and academic research.
Through research, National Museum of Scotland aim to explain the significance of the millions of objects in our care to a wider audience. How we interpret our collections can increase public understanding of human history and the natural environment.
Scottish History and Archaeology galleries
The scottish galleries guide you from the Palaeolithic era to the present day, from the earliest cultures to space age science, prehistory to pop culture.
Come face to face with iconic historic artefacts, learn how Scottish innovation has helped shape the modern world and see how the lives of everyday Scots have changed through the centuries.