One of the show-stoppers in the Natural World galleries is the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. It’s a cast of one of the more complete T. rex specimens ever found (the original is in the Museum of the Rockies, Montana). Standing at about 12 metres in length, it dominates the space and immediately captures your imagination. The display not only showcases the fossil architecture, but also prompts questions of paleontology: how dinosaurs lived, how their remains are preserved, and what role they play in understanding prehistoric ecosystems.

 Interesting fact: This T. rex is the second-largest and most complete skeleton ever discovered. 

Dolly is famous as the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell (1996), and you can see her in the museum. Her preserved body brings home the huge scientific implications of cloning and biotechnology, including ethics, genetics and what it means to be “identical.” The display includes how she was created at the Roslin Institute and what her legacy is — in science, law and public debate. 

Interesting fact: Despite her fame, Dolly lived only six years before being euthanised due to a progressive lung disease and arthritis. 

Within the Scottish History and Archaeology galleries, there is a very rare silver casket associated with Mary, Queen of Scots. The piece is one of Scotland’s most treasured royal artefacts. The craftsmanship is remarkable: early French silver, delicate detailing, and a provenance (history of ownership) that ties it to one of the most controversial monarchs of the 16th century. Viewing this piece gives insight into both the artistry of the era and the politics & personal drama of Mary’s life. 

Interesting fact: Objects with firm provenance (i.e. clear, documented history) connected to Mary are extremely rare, making this casket especially precious. 

This is a hoard of silver metalwork from the early medieval period, discovered in Shetland in 1958. The treasure includes brooches, jewellery, and items likely used for feasting. Displayed in the World Cultures / Scottish History galleries, it helps tell stories of early Scottish and Pictish lives, their craftsmanship, trade and society. The design and materials show connections across the Norse world and the British Isles. 

Interesting fact: It dates to about 750-825 AD, making it over 1,200 years old! 

The Monymusk Reliquary is a small, house-shaped shrine from around the 8th century, combining Gaelic, Pictish and Anglo-Saxon design and metalwork traditions. Made of wood and covered in thin bronze & silver plates, its style and craftsmanship are outstanding for its age. Although its contents are long gone, its existence reveals much about early Christian Scotland, art, ritual and spirituality. 

Interesting fact: Earlier scholars speculated it might have been the “Brecbennach of St Columba” (a sacred banner/seal used in battle), but this is now considered unlikely. 

This is a spectacular installation in the Grand Gallery: “Window on the World” displays over 800 objects from many cultures, time-periods and disciplines. It spans multiple levels (levels 1, 3, 5) and gives a sweeping view of the diversity and depth of the museum’s collections: from tiny glass pieces and scientific instruments to large structural objects like girders. It’s a kind of visual feast, juxtaposing unexpected juxtapositions, encouraging reflection on how museums collect, preserve, and show human and natural history. 

Interesting fact: It is the largest single museum installation in the UK.