The National Museums of Scotland have organised a full programme of events for children and families during the Easter holidays right across their venues.

At the National Museum itself, in Chambers Street, Edinburgh the activities include a range of free, drop-in sessions where visitors can work with robots and teach them new tricks; find out about the science used to preserve, identify and investigate objects; and encounter characters from Scotland’s past, such as a steam-engine driver, an Edinburgh doctor and a woman in the stocks. Visitors can also hop on a free shuttle bus at Chambers Street for a trip to the Museums’ National Collections Centre at Granton and a behind-the-scenes tour (two hours including travel).

Until April 19, the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian is offering three different, 20-minute interactive “Fantastic Flight” sessions for families (age 3-plus) throughout the day, looking at the way the physical forces of flight influence aircraft design; what holds an aeroplane in the air and makes it come back down to earth; and how to make your own paper aeroplanes.

The National Museum of Costume at Shambellie House in New Abbey, near Dumfries, reopened for the season at the start of April and is running a family Easter Egg Hunt throughout the day on April 12 and 13, with the house and its beautiful grounds the focus of an “eggstravaganza” of quizzes, trails and games and a hunt for golden eggs hidden around the museum.

Easter bunnies, a Mad Hatter’s tea party and an Easter egg trail can also be enjoyed at the National Museum of Rural Life in Wester Kittochside, East Kilbride on Easter Sunday (April 12). Artistically-inclined visitors can decorate an egg and try it out for the Best Egg competition.

Further information and details of any entry charges to the museums at: www.nms.ac.uk.