Museum of Edinburgh

No day out on the Royal Mile is complete without a visit to the Museum of Edinburgh, where the City’s past is brought vividly to life.

About Museum of Edinburgh

	142 Canongate Royal Mile, High Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH8 8DD
	01315294143
	Museum of Edinburgh Website

Listed Under Attractions - Museums

Visit the Museum’s newest attraction, Foundation – the Story of a City, for a unique journey through Edinburgh’s history. Watch the city grow beneath your feet in the Museum’s new blacked-out theatre.

Decipher the signatures on the National Covenant and imagine the Royal Mile as the hub of Scottish society and politics.

Admire the silverware – work produced by metalworkers called hammermen whose craft guild owned part of this building in former times. Then there is the glassware, much of it made and engraved in the Canongate close by the Museum. There are long case clocks from Edinburgh and a wide range of Scottish pottery.

Look at our sedan chair, old town models and James Craig’s New Town plans - what a contrast between old and new. You can see Greyfriars Bobby’s collar and bowl, dress up in our replica costumes and get creative in our interactive space.

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Upcoming Events at Museum of Edinburgh

Exhibitions

Making a Statement: Craft & Activism in Edinburgh

17th September 2025 - 26th January 2026

Museum of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Old Town

This colourful and vibrant exhibition brings together historic objects and contemporary protest material to explore the recent explosion of 'Craftivism' in Edinburgh.

Museums

National Museum of Flight Scotland

National Museum of Flight Scotland East Fortune Airfield, EH39 5LF

Head off on a journey of discovery at this former airfield as you explore the history of aviation from the First World War to the present day

Museums

Craigmillar Castle

Craigmillar Castle Craigmillar Castle Road, Edinburgh South EH16 4SY

Step inside Edinburgh's other castle, once a rural retreat from Scotland's capital!

Museums

St Cecilias Hall: Concert Room & Music Museum

50 Niddry Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1LG

The beautiful St Cecilia's Hall dates back to 1763 and is also home to the University of Edinburgh's internationally renowned collection of historic musical instruments.

Museums

The Writers Museum

Lawnmarket Lady Stair's Close , Edinburgh Old Town EH1 2PA

The Writers’ Museum celebrates the lives of three great Scottish writers – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Museums

Surgeons Hall Museums

Surgeons Hall Museums Nicolson Street, Edinburgh South EH8 9DW

Surgeons' Hall Museums is home to one of the largest and most historic collections of surgical pathology in the World, open to the public since 1832.

Museums

Almond Valley Heritage Centre

Almond Valley Heritage Centre Millfield, Livingston EH54 7AR

Almond Valley Heritage Centre in Livingston, West Lothian, is an award winning farm, museum and discovery centre!

Museums

Lauriston Castle

2 Cramond Road South, Edinburgh West EH4 6AD

When you step inside Lauriston Castle, you see it just as it was in 1926, when it was left to the nation by the last private owner, Mrs Reid.

Museums

Museum on the Mound

Museum on the Mound The Mound,, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1YZ

The Museum on the Mound is located in the heart of Edinburgh's city centre, just 500 metres from Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street!

Museums

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery High Street, Dunbar EH42 1ER

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery: the Town House has been the focus of town life since the 16th century.

Museums

Prestongrange Museum

Prestongrange Museum Morrisons Haven, Prestonpans EH32 9RX

Prestongrange is a free open-air museum, that tells 700 years of industrial heritage history. Family friendly, with lots to see and do!

Museums

The Royal Yacht Britannia

The Royal Yacht Britannia Ocean Drive, Leith EH6 6JJ

Rated Scotland’s Best Visitor Attraction for 12 years by national tourism agency VisitScotland, Britannia was home to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family for over 40 years.

Museums