National Museum of Scotland has 2m visitors in 10 months

TWO million people have visited the new-look National Museum of Scotland since it reopened after a £47 million revamp just over ten months ago.

The award-winning transformation of the former Royal Museum building has already seen the Edinburgh attraction become the most popular in the country.

Bosses say they were expecting about a million visitors in the first year after the revamp, which saw the creation of new underground entrances, extra galleries and major exhibition spaces. Some 80 per cent of exhibits currently on show are on public display for the first time.

Dr Gordon Rintoul, director of the museum, said: “It is amazing that a number equivalent to four times the population of Edinburgh has visited us in just over ten months.

“The popularity of the museum underlines not just the quality of the experience we have created but also its appeal to a wide audience from both Scotland and internationally.”

Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “With fascinating collections showcased in magnificent, award-winning surroundings, the National Museum of Scotland is undoubtedly one of the jewels in Scotland’s cultural crown.

“It has become firmly established as a world-class, must-see destination since its spectacular transformation.”