21 October 2009: Royal Museum of Scotland

The Royal Museum building – which began life in 1854 as the Industrial Museum of Scotland – was inspired by London’s Crystal Palace. Engineer Captain Francis Fowke and local architect Robert Matheson were responsible for the design, intending to create a building that was both beautiful and technically innovative.

The east wing and one third of the current main hall were opened in 1866, by which time the building had become known as the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art. Prince Albert, who was a driving force behind Britain’s nineteenth century museum movement, laid the foundation stone in 1861 – his last public act. Over the years the museum has seen many changes in its architecture and interior. Fowke’s vision took 30 years to complete, culminating in the opening of the west wing in 1890. Behind the Chambers Street facade, the museum has been altered, adapted and extended in response to the growth in the collections and changing public use.

By the time of the building’s jubilee in 1904, the museum had become the Royal Scottish Museum, and was Scotland’s first national public building. Today it is Category A listed.