You can find the Museum tucked away in Lady Stair's Close within the aptly named Lady Stair's House. If not paying attention, you can easily missed the entrance from Royal Mile According to the Museum, the house was built in 1622. Different well-off families lived there until it was given to the city in 1907 for use as a museum. If you visit the Museum, make sure to take the time to appreciate the beautiful house that has its own fascinating history. The museum is dedicated to just three famous Scottish writers: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson, and contains books, manuscripts, portraits, and the odd statue, along with information giving insight into each writer's life story In the area devoted to Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) there is a precious first edition of his novel Waverley, a printing press, a chess set, an inkwell, and the rocking horse he used as a child. Yup, same Scott whose memorial is the only the second-largest monument to a writer in the world   The mansion has gone through many renovations since then and has a writerly ambiance to it. read more

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3.5 stars rounded up. Located in an alleyway called Lady Stair's Close, the Writer's Museum is dedicated to the literary works & lives of Scottish authors Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, & Robert Louis Stevenson. Admittedly, my focus was on Stevenson's exhibits, as I'm fascinated by all things pertaining to the "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" author. On display were his earliest published manuscripts, but items not related to his body of work were just as captivating: artifacts from his travels & time living in Samoa, personal belongings like cigarette papers, photographs of his face I had never before seen. What a thrill to get a peek into his world. There are three levels to explore via steep staircases & narrow hallways, though I thought the collection was rather small. Despite this, it's worth a visit; the gift shop has a myriad of must-have things, entrance is free, & I'm all for supporting a museum whose sole purpose is to celebrate writers! read more

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Another cool Edinburgh museum. Half the fun for me was exploring the house itself. They also have a small scale model of the Scott Monument which I loved. read more

This free museum offers up artifacts and information pertaining to the greats of Scottish literature. It's pleasant for those who are hardcore readers or who only find the names and books vaguely familiar. Note that there are small, narrow stairwells to negotiate, so this may cause accessibility issues for some. read more

Located in a little alleyway called the Lady Stair's Close, this little gem commemorates the life and works of three of Scotland's most famous writers - Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson. Having read many of Stevenson's works growing up (Treasure Island, Kidnapped et al), I was terribly excited about this museum. The very fact that there was a museum dedicated to writers made the writer in me leap with joy! :) The museum itself is fairly tiny. It's built into a typical 17th century Old Town house with narrow staircases and corridors. The exhibits were interesting to browse through - it was nice to learn about Burns' poetry, the politics & society of Sir Walter Scott's Scotland and the peculiar pacific island relics that RL Stevenson collected on his voyages. Though the museum was interesting, I did get a bit fatigued and bored at the end. Unlike other top-class museums, I don't think this one did a good job of presenting its content - ironically, it failed to build a story to captivate the mind of the visitor. The reason I give it 4 stars is because a) It's free! b) It's a cool concept and c) It's dedicated to three really awesome writers. Definitely worth taking a peek and checking it out if you are strolling through the Royal Mile read more

The Writers' Museum - An inconspicuous signboard that announces the presence of the writers museum - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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I studied Scottish Literature at uni and yet in all my times visiting Edinburgh, I breezed by the Writers' Museum. I unwittingly missed out on a great resource! Inconspicuously tucked away between the Royal Mile and The Mount, I guess it could be easily missed. Trees lead you into the gorgeous courtyard outside it, and it looks as though it's rich private property more than a tribute to acclaimed Scottish writers. But look below your feet and see quotes from the works of Barbour to MacDiarmid laid out on stone plaques. Follow the tributes up the stairs and you're there. With the rich red walls and winding staircases, there is a glorious feel of the old in this free tourist attraction. The museum is petite in size but dedicates a floor to Burns, Walter Scott and Louis Stevenson respectively. They have waxworks and pipes smoked by our heroes which is interesting for fanatical tourists, but for the die hard Scots lit enthusiast they also have sights significant to our literary history, including parts of the Bannantyne printing press. I don't mean to adhere to a stereotype, but Americans were going nuts for the Burns stuff when I was in. It's interesting, so I don't blame them - the society have acquired some intricate belongings from the writer himself. Similarly, you can gander Louis Stevenson's crockery that he used for dinner parties in Samoa. I found peace in this room as I love Louis Stevenson's work, especially the South Sea Tales. They had a lot of pictures displayed of his time spent there, not to mention boots of his that he wore around the island. There is a good amount of information decoarted around each of the writers' rooms and early copies of books displayed under glass cabinets. There is also a gift shop of sorts, which largely keeps with the theme and sells books. Small, but useful, and set in a gorgeous old turret shaped building. I can see tourists enjoying this attraction as much as people interested in the history of Scottish literature, although one market I would say it would be unsuitable for is children. The majority of their heroes will no doubt come from the telly rather than books these days! read more

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Only 3 Scottish writers are commemorated here - Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. There is a wonderful timeline of each writer and ​lots of personal items. I wish there was more info, but i think they've done a good job with what materials they could get. I loved the writer-ly quotes on the pavement surrounding the Museum. read more

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This is an interesting museum in an interesting building in a location that is full of history. This museum is dedicated to the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson, Walter Scott and Robert burns and some fascinating items dedicated to these fabulous Scottish writers. There was also an item in the museum made by the hands of Deacon Brodie. This is a great little museum and a must see in my opinion but I give it four stars just because the layout is a bit confusing, I don't know if there is another entrance to the writers museum but from where I went in from lady stairs close it was straight into the Robert Louis Stevenson's room, where I would expect a reception or shop or something but that was upstairs and then up again it was the Walter Scott rooms so you have to backtrack to get to the shop and back track again to leave and if it's busy it may take awhile to get out because the staircase is a narrow spiral up and down. But despite this I would highly recommend as it is very interesting. read more

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After living in Edinburgh for a year and a half, I finally decided today to venture into the Writers's Museum with my father who's visiting. He was thrilled with it and called it a 'hidden gem' and I also had a great time! We started with the downstairs rooms featuring Robert Lewis Stevenson and I enjoyed learning a lot more about him and seeing some really cool old versions of his books. When we went upstairs, I was in awe of admiring the hall of Lady Stairs' House - if nothing else, the museum is worth a visit up just to see this beautiful and very historic Old Town house. The content of the museum is quite small, but we enjoyed reading about Sir Walter Scott on the ground floor and seeing items such as his old rocking horse and his writing desk! This is a wee little museum but it is a great and hidden find that's tucked away off the Royal Mile, and it's definitely worth a visit! read more

The Writers' Museum - 1st floor - beautiful overlook over the ground floor hall - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This is a lovely little museum (with free admission I should add) focusing on the lives of three of the most influential and successful writers to have had their own effect on Edinburgh. These three writers are Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns and Robert Lewis Stevenson. Each writer gets a reasonable amount of space devoted to them and the displays are flawless. There are a few artefacts and recreations, but most importantly you are told about their lives. I really couldn't care less about whether the jug I'm looking at was used by Robert Burns, but I am interested to know the stories behind the story tellers. These tales bring the writers to life and help you appreciate their works in a new light. read more

The Writers' Museum - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

For some reason I find myself much more excited at the prospect of visiting a literary museum rather than an art gallery, and the Writers Musuem definitely did not disappoint! The decor of a museum is obviously a deal breaker, and this one is so richly designed it definitely befitting of the works of Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson (okay so I'd never heard of him before..). One gets to know so much more about the authors' personal lives, and the museum is laid out in such a way that there is a section dedicated to each of the writers' work. Admission was free, so it was definitely a chilled (and inexpensive!) way to spend an afternoon. read more

The Writers' Museum - from official website - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Nice write-up by Jonny, so not too much to add except for a couple of things. Entrance to the museum was FREE and with the prices of most museums and such in Edinburgh being 10+ quid, this is an excellent deal! Another thing, one that I always find annoying, is that you cannot take photos inside the museum. I could never understand why, except if a flash is being used. I hate when that happens! Overall the museum is very nice and gives a bit of insight into the authors, especially RL Stevenson. I am waiting for the day when they add a couple more Edinburgh writers like Rankin and Rowling. Burns, by the way, isn't from the city but did spend a bit of time there. For more on him you'll have to travel west to Ayr for his excellent museum, memorial and a few sites from his poems. read more

The Writers' Museum - The museum is just off the Royal Mile - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Tucked in below the tourist-infested Grassmarket in Edinburgh's Old Town lies the wonderful Writer's Museum. Constructed inside a beautifully refurbished 400-year-old terrace on Lady Stair's Close, the Writer's Museum contains a very well put together collection of installations, portraits, displays of artefacts and other miscellany primarily in homage to the three greats of Scottish literature: Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevensen. The museum has been designed to emphasise and clarify the important historical links between the works of these writers (particularly Burns and Scott) and the strong sense of Scottish national pride that emerged in the wake of the dissolution of the Scottish parliament in the 17th century. It does this excellently, while also providing fascinating biographical information in an engaging and accessible manner. Anyone with even a passing interest in Scottish history and literature will be enthralled. read more

The Writers' Museum - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

My husband and I really enjoyed the Writers Museum, though a little small and slightly worn in places. I was not very familiar with Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott, or Robert Burns prior to this, but the signs throughout gave a lot more information about their lives, families, works, and works' reception. The building itself is just off the Royal Mile, so you will need to keep your eyes peeled to walk through the close doorway, and about 30 - 40 feet north to get there. Also, the museum is set over 3 floors, so like much of Edinburgh, there are some narrow steps to get between parts of the exhibit. Would recommend it as a 30-minute stop just to get a quick snapshot of these famous Scottish writers. read more

Appropriately by Makar's Court, an "evolving national literary monument", displaying several flagstones with quotes from famous Scottish poets, is the Writers Museum. An often ignored museum in Edinburgh, it aims to give a taste of Scottish literary history by focusing on three famous writers, Walter Scott, Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson. A section is given to each of these writers in this small museum, displaying original manuscripts, original editions of their works, and generally anything associated with their lives including walking sticks and pens they wrote with. Some of the displays, I have to admit, do a feel a little bit strained. It's as if the curators are really trying to think of some way of making an object in their collection relevant to their very specific theme. But they still do a good job with what they have. My favourite section is the Robert Louis Stevenson. I'm a little biased as he is the author I am most interested in. But I also found the displays most interesting, particularly the old photographs of his time around Samoa. The Museum is a little chaotic, trying to make the best of its small space within the old building, Lady Stairs Close, that it inhabits. But overall it continues to hold interest. It's not the sort of museum you will spend hours in, but it is definitely worth a look around, especially as its free and right in the centre of town. read more

I wanted this place to be wonderful. I'm a writer so I usually get pretty excited about this kind of stuff. Little museums in wonderful old buildings are very exciting to me. but this one fell a little flat. Maybe I needed to have more of an understanding about Scottish writers, or maybe it would have helped if I was a fan of Iain Banks, but it just didn't excite me. But, the building is lovely and the room and writing paraphenalia are really interesting, the museum is free and the walk up there through the ruins is pretty great too. If you're not a lover of Scottish writers it might not be your thing, but it's well worth a look. read more

The most beautiful adventures are not those we go to seek. The works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott as well as many others are celebrated in this quaint museum off the Royal Mile. The collection includes manuscripts, portraits and personal exhibits. It is an interesting insight into the lives of the most revered of the Scottish writers, who are referred to throughout Edinburgh. There are also often temporary exhibits of great interest. For a quick museum visit that gives you insight into many other Scottish references, this visit is worthwhile. read more

Very sporadic opening hours! Ess

I took my university-level scottish literature class here for a field trip. I'll start with the negative - it is NOT well signposted. I had it mixed up with a museum further down the street. I had no idea there was a museum in that part of the royal mile - I genuinely thought that it must be in the canongait since that's where the museums are! if it were not for the help of a colleague's iPad we might not have gotten there. guys, get a sign for the street, please! The rest is positive. Makar's Court - the little courtyard around which various tenement buildings sit, including the townhouse in which the museum is situationed - was nice and clean and the quotes on the paving stones were well chosen and nicely presented. inside the museum it is quite wee and pokey, and it was a bit stuffy on a warm day. my class of 15 were on the slightly squished side but there was plenty to look at. exhibitions were very well arranged, curators had taken care to make it easy to construct a narrative. information provided by the museum was largely biographical but seemed relevant and accurate (I'm a PhD in Scottish Studies). Our tourguide was a man called Paul who did exceptionally well. as a lecturer I'm exceptionally critical of people doing talks on Scottish culture, but Paul made what I had anticipated being a rather dry talk most engaging and informative for the students. They fired a few difficult questions at him but he was fairly unphased by this. The information he provided really did enhance their experience. This museum is based around the lives - and to a lesser extent, works - of Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Sir Walter Scott. It is free/entrance by donation and seems to be well curated and well maintained. It's easy to get round in an hour or even less. I would recommend a visit here to both tourists and Scots. read more

Kinda dull. They have some great artefacts from some amazing Scottish writers but the displays are dusty and boring. Not really engaging or interactive. The location is great. It's in a truly eclectic building with great potential. Time to revamp it, add some interactive content or live readings and maybe a cafe. read more

The Writers' Museum - Museums Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The Writer's Museum is one of those places where the journey is all part of the experience. Make sure you look down up and all around as you venture through the close to the museum itself. So many phrases, some more familiar than others by Scottish writers new and old. THe museum itself, free entry and focuses on the main writers of yore. Fascinating exhibits and inspires you to read what you may have not already. Make sure if you are visiting, or live here, to make this a visit. read more

Very small museum with exhibitions for a few famous Scottish writers. There were manuscripts, letters and photos. Would be great for fans of these writers. read more

This museum is located in Lady Stair's Close, on the Royal Mile. It is tricky to find it, but really worth seeing. Must see for people having interest in literature. The building have very interesting structure and is very interesting on its own. The Writer's Museum is free to enter for everyone. The collection inckude works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. It doesnt take much time to visit so if you are nearby just visit that interesting place! read more

This is in a lovely old building to set a musuem on some of the greatest ever writers. It has historic pieces from the most famous scots writers here and really gives you a sense of what it was like in the times that they wrote You will be able to see what they looked like and learn more about what they wrote Its free to get into so worth a look around if you have time read more

This museum is located in Lady Stair's Close, in the heart of the Royal Mile, in the Lawnmarket to be more precise. The Lawnmarket used to be the place where all the farmers sold their produce. Magnificent building that gathers three of the main Scottish writers, who actually spent part of their lifes in Edinburgh: -Robert Louis Stevenson (writer of Treasure Island) -Robert Burns (we have to thank him for the Burns night when we enjoy Haggis and Tatties as well as recite his poems) -Sir Walter Scott (whose statue can be found in Princes St. Gardens) In this little but exciting Museum we can find a scene depicting a conversation from Sir Walter Scott about revealing his not so secret identity, to a publisher's printer On the upper floor, you will find a little leather book where you can leave you own comments about the museum. Amazing little but characteristic building of the Old Town. Meeting point for the Literary Pub Tours which I highly recommend if you think that you can follow closely the authors and their bibliography Outside the museum, in the close, you will be able to read interesting quotes by many Scottish writers. My personal favourite is The fish of knowlegde swims high but the fish of wisdom swims deep (or something similar to that)...Go and check if you can identify it! For literature lovers, this is your must, you will enjoy every bit of the museum! read more

I found this museum completely by accident when I was photographing the alley ways along the royal mile. I thought it looked so interesting because it was like a small manor house situated amongst the tenement blocks that so define Edinburgh. Its free so its always worth a look. To be perfectly honest I found the building rather than its contents to be more interesting but if you are more interested in literature than I am then you will certainly appreciate its nicely laid out exhibits. read more

A small sign pointing down an alleyway led to this museum, based in a old square and a building on the corner of it. We weren't sure what to expect but we found a beautiful building, friendly people and a wealth of information on some of Scotlands most famous writers. It was an amazingly interesting place, and I particularly loved the feature on R L Stevenson with all the old photos and possessions of his. If you have some free time, I'd recommend this, we easily passed a happy hour wandering around in here. This is a real gem of a find and best of all, it's totally free to visit. read more

It should have been named 'Scottish Writers' Museum', because it celebrates Scottish writers and in particular three of its most eminent names: Sir Walter Scott,Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson. The manuscript exhibition is accompanied by a collection of personal belongings of writers, e.g. Burn' writing desk, Scott's chessboard, etc. The museum is based in the beautiful premises of a 17th century house holding the mysterious name 'Lady Stairs House'. Apart from the exhibition, visitors might choose from a number of city tours, including the famous literary pub crawl. read more

An easily overlooked Edinburgh gem with a rare attribute for European museums -- free admission. Finding it takes a bit of effort, though. Highly recommended if you're interested in any of the three authors: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson. I was particularly fascinated by the history and artifacts on Stevenson, intrepid world traveler and author of Treasure Island. Burns is covered far more extensively in the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Ayr, England, 84 miles west. read more