National Museum of Scotland reopens in Edinburgh
- Published
Dolly The Sheep has a new place in the museum
The National Museum of Scotland is due to reopen after an unprecedented five-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The reopening of galleries will be phased, with the entrance hall and level one galleries, including the Grand Gallery, opening first.
High-touch areas, and spaces where physical distancing cannot be maintained will remain closed.
There will be pre-booked timed entry, face coverings and sneeze screens.
Dusty tigers
Dr Chris Breward, director of National Museums Scotland, said: "We are really pleased to be able to welcome visitors back to the National Museum of Scotland.
"It's such a treasured public space, and I know many people will be just like me - excited to become reacquainted with objects almost as though they were old friends, including the Lewis chess pieces, Tyrannosaurus rex, Dolly the Sheep or the amazing Paco Rabanne metal tunic."
The museum shop and a pop-up cafe will be cashless payments only.
The National Museum of Scotland's opening hours will change to 10:30 - 16:30.
The museum, in Edinburgh's Chamber Street, will reopen with two new displays: Marking the Year of Coasts and Waters, Scotland's Precious Sea and New Thinking, New Collecting.
During lockdown, objects such as clocks had to be decommissioned, and other items moved for their protection. Artefacts were checked regularly.
Chante St Clair Inglis, the museum's head of collections care, said: "We have been recommissioning all those working clocks, returning objects to display.
"So conservators, collections care technicians are removing dust from lions and tigers, open display fashion garments and tapestries..
"We've also been working really closely with our cleaning teams and our displays teams to ensure all the precautions that we're putting in place to ensure the safety of our staff and visitors are also safe for the collections."
Moving Dolly the sheep to her new position was one of the most important jobs before reopening.
The world's first cloned adult sheep is a popular exhibit, and it is now displaying a sign welcoming visitors back.