Edinburgh Museums and places to visit |
I'd made this list of possible museums and art galleries. We were only there a week, so didn't get to a lot of them. Check websites for when they're open, cost of entry, and facilities like cafes. Please note that Edinburgh museums frequently have a light-hearted attitude to different levels, thinking that 5 floors is something to boast about, or making you go up to the second floor to get down to the garden, or saying that the ground level is level 3.
Scottish Parliament - Holyrood, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP - free entry - exhibition - may be able to see the debating chamber. (Nice smoked salmon bagels in the cafe! And parliament shortbread on sale.)
National Museum of Scotland - Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF - free entry - LOTS to see! History, science, natural history. Dolly the Sheep (stuffed), Lewes Chessmen, Cramond Lioness (Roman - it's in the basement and takes a bit of finding) and the Millennium Clock which does mad things on the hour, if you're lucky enough to be there when it's working. There's a roof top terrace with good views of Edinburgh, but that also takes some finding. Its layout is confusing.
National Gallery of Scotland - The Mound, EH2 2EL - free entry. This is south of the Royal Mile, quite close to Greyfriars Kirk. serious collection of art, both Scottish and elsewhere. The layout can be confusing, as one entry, apparently at ground level, is in fact floor 3.
National Portrait Gallery of Scotland - 1 Queen Street - free entry. This is nearly in New Town. I think that Scottish artists are good at portrait painting! This is definitely a Scottish collection. The Great Hall is fun.
Museum of Edinburgh - 142-146 Canongate EH8 8DD - free entry - on the Royal Mile. It's in an old building, the bright yellow Huntly House, with the Speaking House next door. It's opposite the People's Story Museum. It tells the story of Edinburgh, with artifacts such as the signed Covenant. Outside (accessed from the second floor!) is the Monument Garden, with various bits of stonework scattered round it.
The People's Story Museum - 163 Canongate, Roral Mile, EH8 8BN - free entry - on the Royal Mile, opoosite the Museum of Edinburgh. This is in an old building as well. It tells the story of Edinburgh, but from the viewpoint of working people and the poor.
St Giles - High Street, EH1 1RE - free entry - on the Royal Mile. This was the only place that we had to queue to get in! But not for long. Also, the first time we visited, we were beaten to it by King Charles, so had to come back another day. Regretfully the Thistle Chapel was closed (angels with bagpipes!)
Museum on the Mound - The Mound, EH1 1YZ - free entry. This is a museum about money, in the old HQ of the Bank of Scotland and Lloyds. The Scots are interested in money, but they aren't mean, and it's typical of them that a museum about money has free entry. However, it explains why they think looking at a million pounds is interesting. There is a lot which is interesting, though. They explain that "The Mound" was a spoil tip when making the New Town. It has oyster shells in.
Museum of Childhood - 42 High St, EH1 2TG - free entry - on the Royal Mile. Lots of floors from toys from the past. Good shop!
We seem to have prioritised free museums!
These are the ones we didn't get to. It may seem eccentric to visit Edinburgh, and not go to the Castle or Holyrood Palace, but we have been before, and they are expensive. We had also visited Georgian House and Gladstone Land before. These are National Trust properties, and very interesting, one showing the New Town and the other the Old Town. We had also visited the Camera Obscura, which is good (but also expensive). The Writers Museum is about Scott, Burns and Stevenson. I assume the best way to learn about them is to read their work! I can't give any personal opinion of the others.
Edinburgh castle - Chambers Street, EH1 1JF - paid entry
Holyrood Palace - Bottom of Canongate - paid entry
The Georgian House - 7 Charlotte Square, EH2 4DR - paid entry
Gladstone's Land - 477B Lawnmarket, Royal Mile, EH1 2NT - paid entry
Camera Obscura & World of Illusions - 549 Castlehill Royal Mile EH1 2ND - paid entry
The Writers' Museum - Lady Stair's Close EH1 2PA - free entry
Dynamic Earth - Holyrood Road EH8 8AS - Paid entry
National Modern Gallery of Scotland - 73 and 75 Belford Road, EH4 3DR - free entry
Surgeons Hall Museums - Nicolson Street EH8 9DW - paid entry.
St Cecilia's Hall music museum - 50 Niddry Street EH1 1LG.
Museum of Magic, Fortune-telling & Witchcraft - 2 Chalmers Close, 81 High Street, EH1 1SS - paid entry
Dr Neil's Garden - Old Church Lane, Duddingston Village, Edinburgh, EH15 3PX
Scott Monument - EH2 2EJ - available to visit by guided tour.
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR - free entry.
City Art Centre - 2 Market Street, EH1 1DE - free entry, near Waverley station. Championing historic and contemporary Scottish visual and applied arts.
The Fruitmarket Gallery - 45 Market Street, EH1 1DF
The Talbot Rice Gallery - Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH8 9YL
Kings Gallery - Canongate, EH8 8DX
Dovecot Studios - 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LT. Tapestry studio.
© Jo Edkins 2025