National Museum of Scotland gets ready to reopen following £45m refurb

The National Museum of Scotland has given professional conference organisers a sneak preview ahead of its re-opening this summer following a multi-million pound refurbishment.

The Victorian section of the Edinburgh museum has been closed for three years but will reopen in July at the conclusion of the £46.4m revamp project. It will have 8,000 objects in 16 new galleries including the Grand Gallery that will be capable of accommodating a sit-down dinner for 850 guests or a drinks reception for 1,500.

Conference organisers from Glasgow and Edinburgh visited the Scottish capital for a presentation on the refurbished museum, which was held in an adjacent part of the National Museum of Scotland that has remained open.

They were introduced to the increased number of facilities at the museum before sitting down to a three-course dinner provided by Prestige Scotland, one of the museum's preferred event caterers.

Amanda Brown, national account director for Prestige Scotland, said: "This newly refurbished space will attract some fantastic events allowing us to showcase the best food that Scotland has to offer in truly spectacular surroundings."

Carolyn Gemmell, director of hospitality and events at NMS, added: "We are really excited about re-opening our world-class Museum after three years of closure, and are really looking forward to the wide range of different events we will be able to host in this amazing space. We won't be hosting any events until 1 September, but we are already taking bookings."

Prestige Scotland - the Scottish division of Sodexo Prestige - provides catering to some of Scotland's leading venues, including Hampden Park, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Perth and Hamilton racecourses, and Dundas and Glamis castles.

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By Janie Stamford

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