Sights of the museum

A fascinating look at Scotland’s number one visitor attraction.

When it re-opened after a £47 million revamp two years ago, hopes were high for the National Museum of Scotland.

It hasn’t disappointed.

The complex in the heart of Edinburgh has been voted Britain’s No. 1 museum with more than four million visitors. It’s the most visited attraction outside London.

The Sunday Post had a peek behind the scenes to see just why it’s so popular.

So the movie Night At The Museum is pure Hollywood hokum, right?

Well, at the National Museum of Scotland the dinosaurs stay dead of an evening and none of the exhibits speak but that doesn’t mean they don’t bring science to life.

Anne Weir, who’s been answering visitor’s queries for 15 years, says night-time can be creepy.

“If you have a torch it sends back all sorts of reflections and there are always noises that give you a start.

“It’s not the first time I’ve got on the radio to make sure the security can see me on CCTV.”

Like many of the staff, visitor services team leader Donnie McCathie was a childhood regular.

“Mind you, it wasn’t always for the exhibits,” he says. “I used to walk five miles here at weekends to chat up girls.

“It was brilliant. Goes back to Victorian times, too. The ladies would parade on the balcony and the men would stand in the hall below and admire them.

“This place has always been close to my heart despite the fact I was chucked out loads of times.”

Even just a few decades ago the attendants were joked of as being more like guards, all folded arms and jowly scowls. Now they won’t even fold their arms for a picture “It’s bad body language,” instead it’s smiles and patter.

Of course, the reason people flock here is to see the museum’s 20,000 exhibits, though you’ll never see them all in a single visit.

There are kids who grew up then brought their own kids and have returned with their grandkids.

“They always ask where the fish ponds have gone or what happened to their favourite exhibits,” says Info Zone expert Morven Donald.

“Often they’re still here, just in a different place.

“We get loads of weird requests. Do we have any unicorns? Are there flying carpets?”

A crack team of curators are on hand to ensure the collections are kept pristine.

Recollections of the kids that clambered into the canoe-like Polynesian feast bowl with their crisps and juice on re-opening day still bring furrowed brows.

Assistant curator of palaeobiology, Sarah Stewart, has to hit the heights to keep her charges looking their best.

“I need my eight-foot feather duster for the T-Rex, elephant and giraffe,” smiles Sarah.

“A regular duster will only go so far, so I had to tape a few poles together.”

But when it comes to one of the museum’s most striking centrepieces, the maintenance operation goes like, well, clockwork.

The famous Ritchie Clock, towering over the Grand Gallery since 1921, gets a thrice-weekly wind-up.

“We do it first thing Monday and Wednesday and last thing on Friday,” says the man with the big key, Alan Mills.

“You’ve got to get the timing right or it could stop and we can’t let that happen.”

Alan’s passion for his audio section is obvious that’s his Walkman in the “Oh I remember that” case and a fair bit of his record collection.

There’s something for highbrow researchers, nostalgia buffs and those just curious about Scotland and its place in the world.

Kieran Smart, 32, wife Natalie and little ones Rory, 2, and two-month-old Angus, were enjoying their day at the museum.

“There’s just so much to see,” says Fifer Kieran.

“The wee man loves dinosaurs. And the brilliant thing is, because it’s free, you feel you can just leave without having wasted your money if they kick off.”

The museum’s fame has made it a must-see for the capital’s foreign visitors.

Anthony Cohen, 69, from Perth, Australia, was in town for three days with wife, Louise.

“This is stunning,” says Anthony.

“It’s so cleverly done. We’ve seen museums all over but this is special.”

Fellow Aussies, brother and sister Laura and Ben MacKay, showed the all-ages appeal.

“We learn a lot about England at school back home but this is brilliant for finding out about Scotland,” says 21-year-old Laura.

The good news for the museum’s millions of fans is that there’s no resting on laurels.

A £12 million science and technology redevelopment next year will result in 10 stunning new galleries by 2016.