National Museums of Scotland is Scotland's national museum service, a statutory body charged with caring for, preserving and adding to the objects in its collections, ensuring that these objects are exhibited to the public, and making the collections available through research, exhibitions, education and other activities.

National Museums of Scotland is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) which receives annual funding from the Scottish Government. It is managed by a Board of Trustees accountable to Ministers.

With a staff of over 400 and an annual budget of over £23 million in 2005-2006, National Museums of Scotland has an ambitious programme of expansion to reach a larger and wider audience, supported by significant modernisation.