National Museum of Scotland

Location: Chambers Street, corner George IV Bridge (map)
Open: Daily, 10am - 5pm
http://www.nms.ac.uk/
Entrance is FREE

Completed in 1998, the National Museum of Scotland is the perfect place to find out about the history of Scotland and the country's material culture. If you want to do it properly, you start in the basement and work your way up chronologically from prehistoric times to the present day (the top floor, which deals with modern Scotland, will reopen in July 2008).

Don't miss the Connect gallery, an interactive science space in the adjacent Royal Museum that will remain open throughout the Royal Museum's refurbishment. The special exhibitions gallery on level 3 is also free to enter.

Tours

Every day several FREE guided tours start from Hawthornden Court on the ground floor.

Intro tour: 10:30, 12:30 and 15:30 (30 mins)
Highlights tour: 11:30 and 13:30 (1 hr)
Themed tour: 14:30 (1 hr)

Eating and Drinking

There's a small coffee corner in on the ground floor. The Tower Restaurant is a pricey but high-quality restaurant that is also open outside Museum opening hours.

Roof-top garden

Finally, for one of the best views of the city in all of Edinburgh, make sure to visit the roof-top garden on the 7th floor (there is a lift, or stairs from the 5th floor). It's a haven of peace and a brilliant space to eat a sandwich, read a book or enjoy the sunshine.