Museums within 5 miles of Edinburgh

The official Scottish residence of the Queen, this baroque palace was once home to Mary Queen of Scots and now houses the great artworks and tapestries of its regal residents.

Situated in a series of interconnected 16th- and 17th-century buildings on the Royal Mile, the Museum of Edinburgh depicts the city's origins, history and legends. Among notable artefacts is the National Covenant and the feeding bowl and collar…

Housed in the Canongate Tolbooth, a former tax collecting house, court and prison on the Royal Mile, this museum tells the story of the lives, work and leisure of Edinburgh’s citizens from the late 18th century to the present day through oral history…

This museum on the Royal Mile, containing many decorations and paintings from the 500 years since it was first built, is reputed to be the home of 16th-century Protestant reformer John Knox. The building is occasionally used by the adjacent Scottish…

This Royal Mile museum contains a collection of toys, clothes and memorabilia from the last century, spread over three floors. Sound recordings bring to life the atmosphere of a playground, and a large section of the ground floor is a dedicated toy shop.

Just off the Royal Mile in Trinity Apse, the only surviving fragment of the 15th century Trinity College Church and Hospital, the centre provides an opportunity to make rubbings from a variety of replica monumental brasses, such as figures of medieval…

In its landmark building, occupying more than half of Chambers Street, the National Museum of Scotland was formerly two different museums – the Royal Museum, built in 1861, and the more modern Museum of Scotland, completed in 1998. The facilities were…

The University's collection of anatomical teaching models, death masks, and the remains of infamous bodysnatchers Burke and Hare. Open to the public for free on selected open days only – usually the last Saturday of each month.

Hosted inside the Bank of Scotland's head office, this museum is all about money. Learn how money has evolved over the past 4000 years or try cracking a safe.

Just off the Royal Mile in a courtyard paved with inscriptions from some of Scotland’s literary greats, the museum is dedicated to three of Scotland’s finest writers – Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott – and includes a rich…

Completed in 1620, Gladstone’s Land at the top of the Royal Mile is a typical example of a medieval Old Town tenement. Visitors can step back in time to bustling and turbulent 17th-century Edinburgh, explore Thomas Gladstone’s home and to discover the…

Once you have staggered down from the windswept Castle, the warm interior of the Whisky Centre could not seem more attractive. The tour of the centre is, mercifully, mostly seated, and involves a series of films, demonstrations and a 'Barrel Ride' to…

Located inside Edinburgh Castle, the museum explores over 400 years of the Scottish military experience. Exhibits include weapons and uniforms from various conflicts, a gallery of military paintings and recruitment posters, and occasional weekend events…

Sitting atop the volcanic Castle Rock, Edinburgh Castle dominates the city skyline and is the most popular paid visitor attraction in Scotland. Events at the castle include regular re-enactments of events from its history, occasional concerts by…

The museum inside this fire station tells the story of the oldest fire brigade in the UK, formed in 1824. See genuine artefacts including horse-drawn fire engines and early motor models.