Day 12 (September 25, 2025): Edinburgh

National Museum of Scotland

 (by Lina, Maryam and Kweenie)

The morning started with a visit to the National Museum of Scotland here in Edinburgh. Once inside, we had time to walk around on our own while completing a small task. The museum had a lot to offer; from exhibits on Scottish history to science and technology.

One of the highlights was definitely Dolly the sheep, the world’s first cloned mammal created in 1996 by scientists in Edinburgh. She was cloned from a single adult cell, which at the time was groundbreaking and showed that cloning a complex mammal was actually possible. Even though Dolly only lived for about six years, her birth changed the way scientists thought about genetics and sparked huge discussions about science, ethics, and the future of cloning. Seeing her there on display was both surreal and kind of inspiring, since she’s such an iconic part of modern science.

But the museum wasn’t just about science, it also gave us insights into Scottish history and identity. For example, we saw how important coal was during the Industrial Revolution, turning Scotland into a major hub for heavy industry and shipbuilding. We also learned about Mary, Queen of Scots, one of the most fascinating and tragic figures in Scottish history, whose life was full of political drama. There were even sections connecting to more recent history, like how political changes under figures such as Margaret Thatcher impacted Scotland’s economy and society. On top of that, the museum also covered some of Scotland’s unique geology, showing how the landscape was shaped by ancient volcanic activity and glaciers, which explains why the Highlands look the way they do today.

 

 

 

We stayed there until 2 pm, and then the rest of the afternoon was free time. Some people went shopping, others just wandered through the city, and everyone did their own thing until it was time to meet up again. In the evening, we all had dinner together at a chic Italian restaurant. The food was great, but the moment that stole the show was the automatic parmesan and pepper grinder. Our teacher, Mrs. Ruf, was so fascinated by it, her eyes lit up when she saw it in action, which was pretty funny but wholesome

After dinner, some of the over 18s went out to a pub to experience a bit of Edinburgh’s nightlife, while the rest of us headed back to the apartments to chill. Overall, the day was a mix of learning, free time, and fun.