Scotland's national museums body, running the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and the museums of Flight, Rural Life and War, plus a collections centre.
National Museums Scotland looks after Scotland's national museums and some of its most famous objects, among them the Lewis chessmen, Dolly the sheep and the Concorde G-BOAA. Its collections are internationally important in natural sciences, decorative arts, world cultures, science and technology, and Scottish history and archaeology. It is one of Scotland's National Collections. The museums mix history, science, art and technology under one organisation, so a visit can include a medieval treasure, a stuffed animal and a real aircraft.
National Museums Scotland was formed on 1 October 1985, bringing together the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Museum. It is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, governed by a board of trustees. We did not find a mission statement or values on the pages we read, so we have not invented one. Wikipedia names Dr Chris Breward as director and Bruce Minto OBE as chairman of the board, but that page is dated, so check current leadership.
The organisation runs several sites. The National Museum of Scotland is on Chambers Street in Edinburgh's Old Town, in two linked museums. The National Museum of Flight is at East Fortune in East Lothian. The National Museum of Rural Life is at Wester Kittochside farm in South Lanarkshire. The National War Museum is in Edinburgh Castle, and the National Museums Collection Centre is in Granton, Edinburgh, where its main storage building opened in 1996 and offers guided tours. A National Museum of Costume at Shambellie House in New Abbey was closed in 2013.
Wikipedia gives a figure of 401 employees, but the date is not clear, so treat it as approximate. We found no culture statement for the organisation, although a volunteering page listing for the organisation exists, which suggests volunteers play a part in its work. Because the museums are spread across Scotland, from the capital to East Lothian and Lanarkshire, the jobs are spread too, and a career here does not have to mean living in one city.
The range of roles is wide. Curators and conservators look after objects from fossils and costume to aircraft. Learning teams work with schools. Exhibition designers, digital and photography teams, visitor services, retail, events, fundraising, finance and facilities staff keep the museums running. If you like science, history, design, farming, aviation or working with the public, this organisation covers all of them. National Museums Scotland's own website is the place to check current departments and openings.
Website: www.nms.ac.uk
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