National Museums Scotland’s contemporary collections reflect key social, cultural, political, artistic and environmental shifts in the world around us. Whilst researching the material culture of North Sea oil, Assistant Curator, Modern & Contemporary History, Dr Georgia Vullinghs explores the connection between a modern Scottish industry and a 12th century Saint. The practice of fossil fuel extraction – now under increased scrutiny due to its environmental impact – has been a major component of Scotland’s industry and economy since the 1970s. Offshore drilling for oil was first conducted i ..read more

For Disability History Month, assistant curator Julie Holder brought together colleagues Georgia Vullinghs, Georgina Ripley and Sophie Goggins to highlight some of the objects in our collection connected to people in the past and present with disabilities, bodily differences or impairments. We will all have experiences of disability, impairment, or bodily difference during our lifetimes. In Britain, 23% of the working age population is disabled as well as 45% of adults of retirement age. Disabled people continue to be perceived as a small minority in society, however disability has a ..read more

Iconic. A cultural mainstay. Capable of reinvention. The Little Black Dress (LBD) has a lot in common with the Queen of Pop. As Madonna embarks on a world tour, Laura Doherty – Communications Officer and Madonna super fan – looks at her 40-year career through the lens of some of her most memorable black outfits. Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it – let’s take a walk through the sartorial career of the ultimate Material Girl… The exhibition There’s a major fashion exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland which explores the enduring appeal of the ‘LBD’ across a century of fashion. Beyo ..read more

Tartan’s bold and sometimes scandalous history is retold in 19th century pattern books and trade catalogues at the National Museums Scotland Library that form part of our Special Collections. Assistant Librarian Jennifer Higgins puts the spotlight on several of these books to better understand how the mass adoption of Highland Dress was inspired, and sometimes critiqued, by contemporary literature. Both libraries at the National Museum of Scotland and at the National War Museum carry publications documenting tartan’s contradictory nature as a pattern that is simultaneously traditional and radi ..read more

After spending over 1,000 years in the soils of Galloway, it’s no wonder objects from the Galloway Hoard needed some serious work before going on display. Bethan Bryan talks through the complex process of conserving a silver brooch, from mending “mini-volcanoes” of copper erosion to using porcupine quills and algae-derived gels. It has been a delight and privilege to conserve one of the brooches from the Galloway Hoard. My background is in early medieval archaeology, and so it was a dream come true to be offered the chance to work on such a beautiful and historically important object. The work ..read more

In December 2022, project lead Adil Iqbal and his team went on their first field trip to the valley of Garam Chashma in Chitral, northwest Pakistan, to document the preparation of wool for the weaving of the renowned Chitrali shu fabric. Adil reflects on the two weeks the team spent in Garam Chashma, meeting individual makers and understanding the ways of life inherent to the creation of Chitrali shu. Jeep track road to Royee, 2022. Image credit: Adil Iqbal Garam Chashma is three hours by jeep from Chitral town. The track road is a rugged drive but worth the struggle. It led us to our field si ..read more

There’s nothing quite like a cup of hot chocolate. But have you ever had one from a coconut cup? Assistant Curator Dr Emily Taylor and Professor Kathleen Kennedy explore the origins and cultural background behind a ‘little cup of happiness’ in our collections – a coconut shell made into a goblet for hot chocolate. A brief history of coconut cups and hot chocolate (Prof Kathleen Kennedy) The coconut cup whose journey Dr Emily Taylor and Prof Kathleen Kennedy are investigating. (A.1956.1384) This small, polished coconut shell harnessed into the form of a goblet offers an example of a vital colon ..read more

In our Orientations series, members of the LGBTQIA+ community explore an object that resonates with their identity. We know our collections are filled with queer stories but often they can be hard to find (and even harder to prove). In looking for representation in museums, Joe Setch explores how the apparent absence of these stories can allow our imaginations to touch on queer histories in a different way.   Queer people are everywhere, and always have been. But it’s only in recent decades that we’ve been able to push our way into the mainstream of Scottish society.  For most of Sco ..read more

Mark Gatiss, in his narration for the Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder exhibition, astutely observes that the show is rooted in science. This is evident in its portrayal of alien life, including both monstrous creatures and humanoid allies. Dr. Vladimir Blagoderov, Principal Curator of Invertebrates, explores the expansive legendarium of Doctor Who and how its extraterrestrial beings fit into the taxonomy of life on Earth. As someone who did not grow up with access to Western programs, I was a latecomer to the Doctor Who phenomenon. It was not until my daughter, Tatiana, a devoted fan of the show ..read more

Scotswoman Winnie Drinkwater was not only the world’s first woman airline pilot but was also Scotland’s first woman to be a licensed aircraft engineer. Her achievements in the fledging aviation industry are even more remarkable since she made important inroads in a field with very few women. On the 100th anniversary of her birth, Ian Brown, Assistant Curator of Aviation, introduces this remarkable Scottish aviation pioneer At 04:30 on 11 April 1913, at Waterfoot House, Busby, East Renfrewshire, Emma Drinkwater gave birth to a daughter, Winifred Joyce. Emma’s husband, Albert Francis Drinkwater ..read more