It's the museum on Chambers Street. The entrance is in the round tower that is across the street…read morefrom Greyfriars Bobby. You might as well rub his nose for good luck before crossing over. There is a beautiful & bright atrium in the heart of the museum. You can see all 4 floors from this spot as you look up from the first floor. There are galleries and exhibits all around it. We started our journey on the ground floor of the tower in the Kingdom of the Scots, and then worked our way up and over. It truly is the perfect place to go on a rainy morning. The best part is that it's free admission, but donations are always welcomed. There were many highlights for me. The Maiden that was used for public executions in Grassmarket, Mercat Cross, and Castlehill was certainly eerie to look at along with some of the torture devices used back in that period. The display of items belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots was presented beautifully. Especially that lovely jeweled necklace. The exhibits of the Americas was nicely done. I even saw a gut parka on display that was similar to one we saw in Alaska earlier this year. The displays of musical instruments and ceremonial dance costumes was vibrant & interesting. I was drawn to the Bloody Empire display. It was a very artistic expression of anarchism in the form of wallpaper. It's unique. I have to say the same thing about the Slit Gong musical instrument that is said to bring out the voices of a dead ancestor. Very creepy stuff! The subject matter lightened up a bit as we walked through the technology & industry part of the museum. It was cool to see "The Hawk" as well as the display of bicycles and phones (including a Mickey Mouse one). But, I think the best part was the spectacular view of Edinburgh from the open rooftop. It would have been better on a sunny day, but it was still a great sight to see. It's worth taking those outdoor spiral steps up to see it. I love that there's a mini garden with upland grasses and plants along the lookout walls of the roof. A nice little touch. We spent about 2 hours here, but could have easily stayed longer. There's a balcony café on what is technically the 3rd floor of the building (2nd floor when looking up from the main atrium). There is a fee-based exhibit called "Monkeys Our Primate Family" that may be of interest to some. It ends on 30 Nov 2025. Overall, the museum is great fun for all ages. It's a great way to learn more about the Scottish innovators throughout history.

Free entry at the National Museum of Scotland. Filled with rich history and interactive booths…read more There is a cafe with grab and go options and a gift shop too. The best photo op is the third floor balcony overlooking the atrium! Such a gorgeous spot and great option to get out of the rainy weather!

A walk up a hill to Castlegate brings you to Jedburgh Castle Jail and Museum, once site of…read moreJedburgh's medieval castle. The castle was totally obliterated by the Scots in the early 1400s to ensure the English didn't make use of it. In the 19th century Jedburgh Prison was built on the site. The grusome experience of prison life in the 19th century is laid bare here via displays, cellblock recreations and audio visual shows. A jailer's house is also onsite. Jedburgh Castle is medieval, the prison dates from the 1820s Built in 1820 Jedburgh Castle Jail is an important example of Howard Reform Prison architecture. The history of the Royal Burgh of Jedburgh is shown in the Jailer's House. I have mixed feelings about this place. When I went it was getting towards dusk. The place is huge and very lonely/empty. I wandered around the floors alone, looked at the condemmed cell, saw everything but never felt comfortable. Suddenly I had to get out and I actually ran. It is supposedly haunted. I bet! Go with a crowd on a sunny day if this kind of place appeals to you. was £2 entrance.

Was here investigating paranormal events at the Gaol back in the mid 1990s with a really nice bunch…read morefrom Gateshead. for a change i'm not going to write a history and all the photos got lost in a computer crash. so we spent a wonderful evening at the place it' so incredibly atmospheric, heavy doors and little cells a pervading musty odour of decay everywhereand beware of the rooms that have mannequins in them I first encountered there, without warning, in the dark at about 11.30 at nightguess how I felt.. Parts of this place are incredibly creepy well worth a visit if passing.

Situated in the heart of Edinburgh, the Scottish National Gallery is a small but delightful museum…read more While Scottish artists are the main focus, the National Gallery also houses works of art from famous European artists. All of Edinburgh's publicly owned museums and galleries offer free entry to their permanent collections, and National Galleries Scotland manage five buildings which provide access to a fantastic array of artworks. In the very heart of Edinburgh, on the Mound, which connects both Old and New Town, is the original National Gallery of Scotland itself, alongside its sister gallery, the Royal Scottish Academy building. Inside the building is a sumptuous series of open spaces with works by some of the world's greatest classic artists on display, alongside iconic works by Scottish painters. Artists like Rembrandt and Van Dyck are represented alongside Monet, Reubens and Titian, as well as British painters like Constable and Turner. One iconic picture which is often considered a definitively Scottish work is Edwin Landseer's Monarch of the Glen, featuring a majestic stag in front of a Scottish Highland backdrop.

Superb gallery in Edinburgh - well worth the visit…read more We stopped by on our third morning and had a wonderful time. This is not a massive (aka tiring) place, but it has excellent representation of Masters (Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian), and even a specially designed octagonal room dedicated to Nicolas Poussin's Seven Sacraments (1644-1648) - considered one of the greatest sets of paintings in the history of Western art. But my favorites pieces were by lesser known English, Scottish and Italian artists - such as Monarch of the Glen, Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch, and The Campbell Sisters. They have a small cafe which we visited when we needed a little coffee and cookie break, and the staff were very helpful and gracious. Would be happy to return.

St Andrews museum is set in a lovely park surrounded by tennis courts, bowling green and a small…read moreputting green all open in summer months. The museum itself has two galleries one of witch stays the same all year and is the history of St Andrews, the other changes every few months. Cafe in the park is situated on lower floor of museum and is a bright welcoming place to have a spot of lunch at great prices, well worth a visit!!!

There's so much to see and do at this museum that it was well worth the £12 entry. There's 3…read morehangars to explore with planes of all different sizes from olden day to modern planes. You can step on board a few planes and the highlight for me was seeing Concorde and getting to walk under it to really appreciate the size of the plane. One thing I really liked about the museum was that there weren't many restrictions. You could get close to the planes and nobody batted an eyelid. There's lots of flight based games for kids to play and the big kids of course. When I visited you could buy tickets for a short helicopter ride too. It's a great day out even if you're not really interested in planes. The museum has stories on the people who flew and travelled on planes as well as the history of the hangars.

The Museum of Flight based out at East Fortune, an airbase that has worked hard in service to the…read morecountry though both our World Wars and other military activity, as well as being a base for some of the air services. At £12 for an adult day ticket, I was a little wary initially about whether it would be worth it, however several colleagues had recommended it as a good day out so we gave it a go. I am sold! We had a wonderful day, there is so much to see and do. There are around 10 hangers, all filled to bursting with planes (surprise, surprise), but also memorabilia, parachutes, air ships, science experiments for children (also very exciting for adults). I particularly enjoyed doing the pilot tests; it would appear I my calling is definitely not to fly (shame, as I do love the uniforms!). The whole space is really interactive, there are touch screen video presentations seemingly everywhere you look so you can find out much more about the background and history of the planes, see them in flight, and hear from those who were lucky enough to fly them. Some of the planes, including concord you can even get on board. There is everything from air ship flight simulation to bombing target practice and much, much more.

This is a great little museum that's packed with fun stuff. You can easily get round most if it in…read morean afternoon and it's small enough that you can really talk to the staff and get all your questions answered.

A small and friendly museum. Usually you have a quiz to take you round and 'see' Alnwick before…read morethings changed. Every few months new exhibits come to town. It is set over three floors and is bit off the beaten track. It is fairly cheap to get in and family tickets are available.

Visited April 2015: "Border town attraction"…read more We didn't think we were going to spend a great deal of time at Melrose Abbey, due to it being a ruin but there was more to do then our first glance. For one, we were able to walk up a very narrow staircase, to the top of the church. You were able to see the entire village, and not feel overwhelmed by the height. Robert Bruce's heart is buried there. We were not provided or offered an audio guide

As Scottish church ruins go, Melrose Abbey is top of the line! Much more interesting and scenic…read morethan St. Andrews Cathedral for what it actually is TODAY - not for what it once was. Great photo opportunity, too. See my photos for reference. This attraction is included in many 1-day coach tours that start off from Edinburgh (mine was by The Highland Experience Tours). Is it worth the trip from Edinburgh on your own (by bus or train)? Well, not really, as you won't spend more than 1 hour max exploring the grounds of Melrose Abbey. And the village of Melrose itself, let's just say that it's a sleepy little hovel between someplace A and nowhere B. But as part of such an organized coach trip, it's well worth your time. The entrance is moderate (5.50 - minus 11% if you're in a group), you can take as many pictures as you'd like. What distinguishes Melrose Abbey from, say, St. Andrews Cathedral, is that a large part of the once mighty construction has survived! So there's actually something to see other than just bricks on the ground that indicate former walls and towers. What's left is enough to let you feel the actual impact the original abbey must have made on visitors. Included in the ticket price is an audio guide. You'll get it when entering through the shop, which is also the ticket office. Since just a couple of clerks are responsible for BOTH shop and tickets you'll find that the simultaneous arrival of two or more bus groups, which is not uncommon, mixed with people who want to get out and buy books or less useful items in the shop, will create an *interesting* situation. Well, that's that particular brand of British efficiency.

The most unique museum I have ever been to. Beware...this is Not for the squeamish…read more Surgeons' Hall Museums is an award winning Museum that is home to one of the largest and most historic pathology collections in England. It showcases the history of surgery and is so different from anything you have ever seen. I'm not in healthcare, I don't like anything that has to do with disease, yet, I couldn't stop looking. I was so intrigued. There was room after room of jars with body parts and showcases of how they see certain diseases. I couldn't stop looking. Venture up to the top floor to see the robotics and AI surgery exhibit....so interesting. to see the wave of the future. No photos allowed but it is worth the $10 entry fee.

I wasn't sure what to expect when we came here today but I've never seen anything like this museum…read morein my life! The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh was founded in 1505 and was originally used as a teaching museum for students of medicine. Its vast collection opened to the public in 1832. Here you will learn about the history of surgeries- how the medical field started and where it is headed. It was also fascinating to learn about William Burke and William Hare who murdered sixteen people in 1828 and sold the corpses to Robert Knox for dissection at his anatomy lectures. And I've never seen so many bones and organs on display! Many of the specimens show the results of certain diseases or injuries. Plus there are many historical surgical instruments, paintings and illustrations on display. There is also a section on medical advances like robot-assisted surgeries- something I have benefited from. No pictures are allowed so you'll have to come see it all for yourselves!