Behind the scenes at the museum

Written by Helen Fowler

If you're walking through the Old Town, you can't help but notice that the National Museum of Scotland is shrouded in scaffolding. But fear not: even though half the museum , has closed to the public due to a £46m renovation project, there's still lots to do and see.

Just opened last month is a photographic exhibition featuring pictures of famous Scots such as John Byrne, Alan Cumming, Chris Hoy and Sharleen Spiteri. Salt of the Earth runs until 10 January, so if you're interested in finding out about Scotland's influence in the modern world, you've still got a couple of months to catch the exhibition.“Scotland and its people have had a profound impact on the world today," explains photographer Craig Mackay, who took the pictures. "Although these are modern photographs, the title reflects the often humble and resilient nature of Scottish emigrants who have enriched the world around them over the centuries.”

Any racing fans reading this will be pleased to learn that Scottish racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart has loaned his Formula One racing car to the National Museum of Scotland. Sir Jackie agreed to loan his 1971 Tyrrell 003 car to help celebrate Scotland's 2009 Year of Homecoming and the 40th anniversary of when he won the 1969 World Drivers' Championship. Sir Jackie has also loaned the museum his famous tartan-rimmed helmet. You can find the Tyrrell parked in the museum's Hawthornden Court - imagine if only it were normally that easy to find a parking space in central Edinburgh.

The renovation project, due to complete in 2011, has temporarily shut the museum's Victorian main hall, where generations of Edinburgh children have fed pennies to the goldfish and marvelled at the Totem pole. Builders are working to turn storage facilities into public space, so that when the building re-opens in a couple of years 80% of objects on display will be shown for the first time. There are to be 16 new galleries with 50% more public space than before. So, no stuffed animals coming to life after hours, but plenty else going on behind the scenes at the National Museum of Scotland.