Fun at the museum

The National Museum of Scotland is filled with weird and wonderful exhibits. We only saw a fraction of what was on offer because there are six floors with over 10,000 items.

These range from the quirky and unusual, such as Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, to a hands-on science floor where kids (and Peter) can try out various experiments and even see what they would look like as an astronaut.

There are lots of fascinating mechanical objects, such as this Ilay Glynne sundial which has an equinoctial ring dial that allows it to measure local solar time very accurately. It is both a scientific instrument and an ornate status symbol. And very pretty.

One of the first things I saw in the museum was this treasure chest from the 1700's with an intricate locking system built into the lid consisting of 15 spring bolts operated by a hidden keyhole. This chest would certainly ensure that your secrets stayed secret.

Then, of course, there are the usual taxidermy animals you would expect in a museum, displayed in realistic poses to really capture the essence of the living animals.

So much to see, so little time! Mary Queen of Scots, a Scottish manequin, some of the most incredible rocks... it just went on and on. And unfortunately this is the end of our time in Edinburgh, so we won't be able to come back and see all the things we missed today.