Giants exhibition brings prehistoric creatures to Edinburgh: what residents need to know

Name: Giants
Start: 2026-01-31
End: 2026-09-14
Location: National Museum of Scotland

Culture & Events Desk 2026-09-14 09:34 2 min read

A low-poly geometric mammoth sculpture with glass panels displaying real fossilized leg bones inside.

Families can see life-sized prehistoric creatures at Giants, an exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh running from 31 January to 14 September 2026. Tickets cost from £3 to £14.50 per person, and the source advises booking online in advance to save on the ticket price.

The family exhibition is at the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, in Southside. It has no listed start time, while accessibility and transport details are not included in the available event information.

Dates, venue and ticket details

Detail	Confirmed information
Dates	31 January to 14 September 2026
Venue	National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF
Area	Southside, Edinburgh
Price	£3 to £14.50 per person
Audience	Family exhibition
Booking	Book online in advance to save on the ticket price

The exhibition offers a museum visit centred on creatures that lived after the dinosaurs’ extinction. Its timeline begins 66 million years ago and continues to the present day, linking prehistoric animals with some of the large species still living now.

From megalodon to woolly mammoth

Displays include life-sized 3D sculptures, skeletons and fossils. The combination means visitors can encounter both reconstructed forms and physical evidence associated with the prehistoric animals featured.

Among the animals is Otodus megalodon, described by the exhibition as the mightiest shark of all time. Visitors can also see Mammuthus primigenius, the woolly mammoth, presented as weighing between six and eight tonnes, with thick fur and long tusks.

Another featured species is Gigantopithecus blacki, an Asian primate described as comparable in size to three orangutans. Together, the displays frame the exhibition around scale: creatures from different periods and environments are brought together in one family-focused visit.

Interactive learning for family visitors

Giants includes interactive elements that invite visitors to step into the roles of palaeontologists and biologists. That gives the exhibition a hands-on strand alongside its sculptures, skeletons and fossils, particularly for visitors who want to explore how scientists study ancient life.

The exhibition also connects extinct animals to present-day giants, including elephants, rhinoceroses and whales. According to the exhibition, these living animals are now also under threat of extinction.

The event listing is provided by Forever Edinburgh Events. Visitors planning to attend should use the online booking route in advance if they want to seek the lower ticket price; no further event-time, accessibility or transport guidance is listed in the available details.

Source: Forever Edinburgh Events

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This preview uses the published Forever Edinburgh event information for dates, venue, ticket range and exhibition highlights.

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