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!

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.

Hands down a must visit in Glasgow! Free admission!…read moreLocated in Kelvingrove Park, West End. This is a popular museum and art gallery with the likes of Dali and more. It's a large space and it's divided up by fine art, natural history, etc. I wandered through all of the rooms and believe that I saw almost every exhibit. I spent hours and just took my time taking it all in. Stopped by the cafe' for a cuppa tea too. Fantastic museum.

The museum is one of the top attractions in Glasgow. It was established in 1901- 125 years ago. The…read morearchitecture of the building itself is a marvel. I'm not much of a museum person, but entrance is free. The expansive museum's west wing focuses on "Life" (natural history/prehistory), while the east wing focuses on "Expression" (fine art). There are 22 galleries with 8,000 objects. Salvador Dalí's "Christ of Saint John of the Cross" is one of their most famous works of art. I was most interested in "The Floating Heads" installation by Sophie Cave. We spent most of our time viewing Scotland's Wildlife, where most of the kids were. While we were there, we also enjoyed an organ recital- 1:00pm Monday-Saturday and 3:00pm on Sunday.

We came to Edinburgh for the Taylor swift concert and wanted to do some exploring. My 13 year old…read moredaughter and her friend made it clear they didn't want to do any sightseeing so we looked for fun activities that appealed to teens...and came across this. We found this to be a fun way to kill 90 minutes in this cool city. There's all sorts of rooms with optical illusions, but you also get to enjoy amazing views of Edinburgh on the rooftops. The girls seemed to enjoy, although the favorite part was probably the last room which included some a mirror maze and something that made me super dizzy. Recommended for kid/teen fun!

Pretty cool with or without kids, stunning views from atop. Multilevel, nice gift shop and opens up…read morenext to the Edinburgh Castle. Book ahead, we had to purchase tickets and wait another two hours to get in.

My bf is a huge transport fan so it was yesterday on a sunny sunday that we found ourselves taking…read morea drive out here on one of their running days. The museum is open every sunday but when you have a running day it means you can get a chance to go a wee ride on some of the vintage buses. Entry is £7 per adult and includes access to the bus rides. There were loads of really well maintained vintage buses there and it was fun to go out on them and get a wee tour of the fife countryside. Most of the staff that work there are volunteers and are happy to explain the history behind all of the vehicles. If you are into collecting models of buses,trains etc theres a big indoor space with a good variety of stalls to browse and my bf assured me that the prices were really reasonable. Lots of public toilets and a cafe and the usual burger van selling hot food etc. Whilst this is not somewhere i would go usually I actually quite enjoyed it and my bf did too.

I visited the Bus Museum during a Doors Open Day and I was pleasantly surprised. The buses are…read morelovingly restored by keen amateurs and I was amazed at how many I recognised from my youth. You don't have to be a spotter to enjoy the Scottish Bus Museum.

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!

I can't say much more about Culross that Deborah M. hasn't said, but it's a stunning little town…read more in Fife that is beautifully conserved. From the Abbey ruins at the top of the hill running down past the Hanging Gardens, and with lovely little galleries at the bottom, it's a great place to spend a couple of hours. Just a shame you have a view of Grangemouth on the other side, but I think that just about captures the idiosyncracy of Scotland!

Truly amazing NTS property comprising an entire 17th century town, its fabric lovingly preserved…read more Back in the day, Sir George Bruce of Carnock was an innovator and a bit of a shrewd businessman. He oversaw the first modern approach to coal mining and was heavily involved in shipping and import-export to the Netherlands. Signs of this are in the architecture throughout the town as it exists today. The Palace itself was Bruce's family residence and is as it was. Truly atmospheric 17th and 18th century furnishings. Most of the murals are very old. The surrounding gardens are a treat. The hourly tour (free with admission) takes you on a ramble through the cobbled town and into the town hall, the Bishop's house and to the Mercat Cross. You will see a place seemingly untouched by time with amazing little details like the owl holes (ask, you won't be disappointed) and the "risps" on all the doors of the older houses. This was what people used instead of a doorbell. Only things missing are the sounds and the smells. See the film about the house and town shown inside the palace. Hours can be weird and it is shut in winter, though you can walk about the town for free. Bring a packed lunch and make a day of it. There's a play park near the beach for the little people and a tea room nearby. The Abbey up the hill is also worth a look in. That's where Sir George and his family are buried in style. Two thumbs up.

Anatomical Museum is based in the Medical School of University of Edinburgh. It is open to public…read morelast Saturday of each month between 10am and 4pm. One of the highlights is William Burke's skeleton. Yes, Burke as in Burke and Hare, the pair who sold the corpses of their victims for medical dissection. After they were caught, Hare testified against Burke, Burke was hanged, Hare was released and disappeared. There is something ironic about the fact that Burke's skeleton ended up on display in the museum. There are skeletons and skulls of many different species on display. The most impressive ones are the elephant skeletons in the entrance. You can also enter into an anatomy lecture theatre, which I believe is still in use. I haven't been to Surgeons' Hall Museum, but I suspect that these two museums are similar. Overall, I enjoyed my visit to the Anatomical Museum. I didn't have a problem with the skeletons and bones, but walked past the displays of dissections rather fast:) It is not a big museum. So you can combine a visit there on a Saturday morning with lunch or some other activity outside.

The Anatomical Museum is a bit hard to find, but is open to the public on the last Saturday of the…read moremonth. Just give yourself a minute to find it. One if the photos I included here is of the old set up which is a bit more theatrical than the current, but I suppose less practical. The other photo is a pano view of the downstairs doorway where the elephants stand today. Photos are not allowed upstairs. The museum has animal skeletons as well as a few notable human forms including the last man who was sentenced to be executed and given to the medical school, and William Burke for which the museum is probably best known. I would not suggest bringing young children as the specimens are fragile and many are not behind glass. There are also some which may be too much for sensitive visitors, like foetuses in various stages, or a body which had been preserved (embalming possibly? I've forgotten). The museum is free, and definitely an interesting way to spend a few hours. Just one more thing to keep in mind, this is usually closed to the public and is most often a place for students to study the specimens. They will probably be there if you visit and they appreciate being able to ignore you.

I'll be short and sweet. The staff were very nice but I found the venue to be a bit cheesy and worn…read moreout. The tea was good but our scones were dry like sawdust. I've had a couple good scones in my trip to Scotland but this was not one of them. If I was doing the trip over again, I wouldn't do this particular tea.

Historical buildings, expensive museum shops, and traditional tearooms are somehow, I feel,…read moreessential components of British culture. After all, if they didn't exist, where would we go when obliged to take elderly aunts out on day trips? And what more effective way is there of inflicting mind-numbing (and therefore character building) boredom on small children? So, if you are after a gentle and genteel sort of outing, the National Trust for Scotland headquarters is a highly appropriate destination. Housed in a very elegant building on Charlotte Square, it is a sort of companion piece to the Georgian House across the road. There is a Scottish gallery upstairs, which is unlikely to detain you too long, and, on the ground floor, a shop full of things like William Morris tea towels and books about regency table manners that are useful only as polite gifts to distant relatives. And, after all that exertion, you will be relieved to know that there is also a tearoom, the ideal place to refresh yourself with a pot of Earl Grey and a superior scone while admiring your purchases.

We wandered in because it started to rain and it was nearby. And then we stayed until it was…read moreclosing because it was such a great museum!! Really great exhibits, lots to see from many different artists, eras, and styles. Highly recommend stopping in.

Visited the National Galleries of Scotland while in Edinburgh. The layout was easy to navigate, and…read morethe exhibits were well-presented and fascinating. Highlights included works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Raphael, and many other notables. Staff were helpful when needed, and entry was free. Overall, a great way to spend a few hours -- a must-see for art lovers. Saluti.