Collections

The Museum is packed with collections illustrating the historical and cultural life of Edinburgh from the earliest times to the present day.

Detail of a silver bread basket from the Museum of Edinburgh collection Detail of a silver bread basket from the Museum of Edinburgh collection
Close up of the face of a carved wooden figure wearing an imposing highland style bonnet. Close up of the face of a carved wooden figure wearing an imposing highland style bonnet.

Decorative Art

The museum houses spectacular collections of decorative art which reveal a rich history of Scottish craftsmanship – beautifully cut and engraved glass and intricately made silver from Edinburgh and Canongate, longcase clocks made in Edinburgh, as well as displays of Scottish pottery and Scottish porcelain dating from the 1760s.

 
 

History

Displays trace the life of the city from earliest times to the present day. Highlights include the National Covenant, James Craig’s plans for Edinburgh’s New Town,  and the collar and bowl of Greyfriars Bobby, the little Skye terrier whose dogged devotion to his dead master touched the hearts of mid 19th century Edinburgh.