Edinburgh, ancient capital of Scotland, parliamentary and royal burgh, and county town of Mid-Lothian, 1½ mile from its seaport Leith on S. shore of Firth of Forth, 42 E. of Glasgow, and 3961 N. of London by East Coast route – parliamentary and municipal burgh, 17,028 acres, population 236,032. Edinburgh is one of the most picturesque of cities, and its beauties and historical associations attract a constant influx of visitors. It is built on 3 ridges running E. and W., and is surrounded on all sides, except the N., by lofty hills. The Old Town occupies the central ridge, terminated by the Castle on the W., and by Holyrood on the E.; the Castle Rock is 437 ft. high. The Castle was built in the 7th century by Edwin of Northumbria, on a site previously occupied, in all probability, by the Romans and the Southern Picts. Edinburgh was added to the kingdom of the Scots in the 10th century. The Old Town contains many buildings of historical interest, notably the ancient Parliament House and the collegiate church or cathedral of St Giles. The New Town presents a splendid assemblage of streets, squares, gardens, and monuments. The principal industries of Edinburgh are printing, type-founding, bookbinding, lithographing, and engraving; machine-making and brass-founding; coach-building; manufactures of glass and jewellery; tanning, brewing, and distilling. There are 3 distilleries. Edinburgh is the seat of the Government departments for Scotland, and is a garrison town. It is also the centre of the railway and the banking systems of Scotland. Edinburgh, however, depends for its prosperity chiefly on its courts of law, colleges, and schools, on its attractions for visitors, and its amenity as a place of residence.
– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)
Cockburn Museum of Geology at the University of Edinburgh
Geology and Geophysics, King’s Building, West Mains Road
Edinburgh EH9 3JF
0131 650 8527
www.geos.ed.ac.uk/public/cockburn
The Cockburn Museum at King’s Buildings holds a very extensive collection of geological specimens and historical objects which reflect Edinburgh’s prominent position in geological sciences since the time of James Hutton (1726-1797) and its continuing activity today.
Corstorphine Heritage Centre, The
The Dower House, St Margaret’s Park
Edinburgh EH12 7SX
0131 316 4246
www.corstorphine-trust.ukgo.com
The Corstorphine Trust is a local community association, based at The Corstorphine Heritage Centre (The Dower House) in St Margaret’s Park, Corstorphine.
Collections: Our holdings include many images of the old village and adjoining area. These can be found in old photographs, postcards, slides, drawings and paintings.
Craigmillar Castle
Craigmillar Castle Road
Edinburgh EH16 4SY
0131 661 4445
A well preserved medieval castle, Craigmillar has a tower house, courtyard and gardens. Craigmillar’s story is linked with that of Mary Queen of Scots.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh EH3
0131 225 9846
This most famous of Scottish castles has a complex building history. The oldest part, St Margaret’s Chapel, dates from the 12th century; the Great Hall was erected by James IV around 1510; the Half Moon Battery by the Regent Morton in the late 16th century; and the Scottish National War Memorial after the First World War.
Collections: The castle houses the Honours (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny and the famous 15th-century gun Mons Meg.
Edinburgh City Archives
Level 1, City Chambers, 253 High Street
Edinburgh EH1 1YJ
0131 5294616
We hold the official historical records of the council and its previous authorities. We also have records about the Edinburgh area created by individuals, businesses, societies, clubs and organisations.
Georgian House
7 Charlotte Square
Edinburgh EH2 4DR
0131 226 3318
www.nts.org.uk/Property/Georgian-House
The Georgian House is part of Robert Adam’s masterpiece of urban design, Charlotte Square. It dates from 1796, when those who could afford it began to escape from the cramped, squalid conditions of Edinburgh’s Old Town to settle in the fashionable New Town.
Gladstone’s Land
477b Lawnmarket
Edinburgh EH1 2NT
0844 4932120
www.nts.org.uk/Property/Gladstones-Land
Step back in time to bustling and turbulent 17th century Edinburgh. Explore Thomas Gladstone’s land to discover the lives of his tenants and experience what life was really like in Edinburgh’s old town 400 years ago.
Holyrood Abbey & Abbey Strand – Historic Scotland
Edinburgh EH7 5TT
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/places
The ruined nave of the 12th and 13th century abbey church, built for Augustinian canons. Abbey and palace administered by the Lord Chamberlain.
Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park Education Centre, 1 Queen’s Drive
Edinburgh EH8 8HG
0131 652 8150
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ranger
Holyrood Park sits in the centre of Edinburgh and encompasses numerous archaeological sites, an ancient volcano (Arthur’s Seat) and a large diversity of wildlife.
Lauriston Castle
Cramond Road South
Edinburgh EH4 5QD
0131 336 2060
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. The castle and the collections it contains is one of Scotland’s greatest gifts.
Lloyds Banking Group Archives
12 Bankhead Crossway South
Edinburgh EH11 4EN
The Archive of Lloyds Banking Group is our corporate memory. It charts the expansion, development and innovations that have made us the company we are today.
Menzies Campbell Dental Museum
9 Hill Square
Edinburgh EH8 9RU
0131 527 1649
The Dental Museum incorporates the Menzies Campbell collection of dental instruments, artefacts and art. It is one of the largest dental collections in this country and demonstrates the development of dentistry from its early days to modern times.
Museum Collections Centre
10 Broughton Market
Edinburgh EH3 6NU
0131 556 9536
This centre houses the reserve collections of the city museums. There are many interesting objects on ‘open storage’ display, especially social history objects, decorative art and archaeology collections. Open for group and individual visits on the first Tuesday of the month at 2pm.
Museum of Childhood
42 High Street, Royal Mile
Edinburgh EH1 1TG
0131 529 4142
The museum of Childhood is a fun day out for the whole family. Young people can learn about the children of the past and see a fantastic range of toys and games, while adults enjoy a trip down memory lane.
Museum of Edinburgh
Huntly House, 142 Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DD
0131 529 4143
The museum of Edinburgh is the City’s treasure box – a maze of historic rooms crammed full of iconic objects from the capital’s past. Find out about the history of Edinburgh from the earliest times to the present day.
Museum of Fire
Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade, Brigade Headquarters, Lauriston Place
Edinburgh EH3 9DE
0131 228 2401
The museum of Fire tells the history of the oldest municipal fire brigade in the United Kingdom, formed in 1824. Housed in the historic Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters building at Lauriston, it shows the development of firefighting in an exciting and educational way. On display is a range of engines including manual, horse drawn, steam and motorised pumps dating from 1806, along with many other fire related items from as far back as 1426.
Museum on the Mound, The
HBOS plc, The Mound
Edinburgh EH1 1YZ
0131 243 5464
Treasures from the HBOS collections. Opened in 2006, this fascinating museum takes a fresh look at money – and much, much more. Art and design, technology, crime, trade and security – all feature in the story of money.
Nelson Monument
Calton Hill
Edinburgh EH1 3BJ
The Nelson Monument was built in memory of Admiral Lord Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Weather permitting, the Trafalgar flag signal ‘England expects that every man will do his duty’ is still flown on Trafalgar Day (21 October).
Palace of Holyroodhouse & The Queen’s Gallery, The
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DX
020 7766 7300
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence in Scotland of Her Majesty The Queen, stands at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile against the spectacular backdrop of Arthur’s Seat. This fine baroque palace is closely associated with Scotland’s rich history. The Palace is perhaps best known as the home of Mary, Queen of Scots, and as the setting for many of the dramatic episodes in her turbulent reign.
People’s Story Museum
Canongate Tolbooth 163 Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8BN
0131 529 4057
The People’s Story explores the lives of Edinburgh’s ordinary people at work and play from the late 18th century to today. Visitors can see displays showing a bookbinder’s workshop, a wartime kitchen and much more, all packed with real objects.
Real Mary King’s Close, The
2 Warriston’s Close, High Street
Edinburgh EH1 1PG
0845 070 6244
Underneath the Royal Mile lies Edinburgh’s deepest secret; a warren of underground streets and houses that has remained frozen in time since the 17th century. In the company of an expert guide, you can explore the site and experience what it was really like for people who lived, worked and died here.
Reid Concert Hall Museum of Instruments at the University of Edinburgh
Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square
Edinburgh EH8 9AG
www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/rch/index.html
On display are 1000 items including stringed, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments from Britain, Europe and from distant lands. the instrumental history of the orchestra, the wind band, theatre, dance, popular music, parlour music, brass bands, etc.
Royal Observatory Visitor Centre
Blackford Hill
Edinburgh EH9 3HJ
0131 668 8404
www.roe.ac.uk/vc
Your window into the world of astronomy. The Royal Observatory, Edinburgh is housed in a bold Italianate building located on Blackford Hill two miles south of the city.
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum
The Castle
Edinburgh EH1 2YT
0131 310 5100
www.scotsdgmuseum.com/pages/museum.php
Visit the museum of the famous Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Edinburgh Castle. Experience over 300 years of history from Scotland’s only cavalry regiment.
Royal Scots Regimental Museum
The Castle
Edinburgh EH1 2YT
0131 310 5016
www.theroyalscots.co.uk/museum.html
The museum is situated in Edinburgh Castle. It is a private one and, as we do not receive any part of the admission charge to the castle, it is financially dependent on voluntary contributions.
Scott Monument
East Princes Street Gardens
Edinburgh EH2 2HG
The Scott Monument is the largest monument to a writer in the world. It commemorates Sir Walter Scott.
Sir Jules Thorn Historical Exhibition
9 Hill Square
Edinburgh EH8 9RU
0131 527 1649
-library.aspx
The Sir Jules Thorn Exhibition, adjacent to the Playfair Hall, is a display illustrating the scope of modern surgery. It includes examples of the surgical specialties.
South Side Museum
Nelson Hall Community Centre, 5 Spittalfield Crescent
Edinburgh EH8 9QZ
0131 667 8838
The legacy of Thomas Nelson Jnr built the hall in 1913 to be used as a place ‘to which persons of the working class and others can go to sit, read, write, converse and otherwise occupy themselves’. The South Side Museum is located in the Gray Room and displays artefacts from the South Side’s industrial past, school mementoes and old local photographs.
St Cecilia’s Hall Museum of Instruments at the University of Edinburgh
St Cecilia’s Hall, Niddry Street, Cowgate
Edinburgh EH1 1LJ
0131 650 2805
www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/sch/index.html
On display are some 50 of the world’s most important and best-preserved early keyboard instruments: harpsichords, virginals, spinets, organs and fortepianos from the period of their first construction to around 1840, many in playing order, and a new display of harps, lutes, citterns and guitars.
Surgeons’ Hall Museum
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, 18 Nicolson Street
Edinburgh EH8 9DW
0131 527 1711
www.museum.rcsed.ac.uk
Surgeons’ Hall houses one of the largest and most historic collections of surgical pathology in the world. Developed as a teaching museum for students of medicine, its fascinating collections, including bone and tissue specimens, artefacts and works of art, have also been open to the public since 1832, making it Scotland’s oldest museum.
University of Edinburgh, Anatomy Museum
Teviot Place
Edinburgh EH8 9AG
0131 242 9300
www.anatomy.mvm.ed.ac.uk/museum/index.php
The Anatomical Museum, founded and developed by the Monro dynasty, flourished under Sir William Turner, Professor of Anatomy from 1867 to 1903, and Principal of the University from 1903 to 1917. Turner had broad interests in evolution and comparative anatomy and built up the impressive collections displayed. The splendid museum hall was at the heart of the new Medical School designed by the architect Robert Rowand Anderson.
University of Edinburgh, Natural History Collections
The Ashworth Laboratories, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road
Edinburgh EH9 3JT
0131 650 5477
www.nhc.ed.ac.uk
The University has been collecting zoological specimens for teaching and research for over three hundred years. The invertebrate and vertebrate specimens are displayed within a taxonomic framework to illustrate the diversity of the animal kingdom.
Water of Leith
Water of Leith Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road
Edinburgh EH14 1TQ
0131 455 7367
Explore Edinburgh’s hidden natural asset, the Water of Leith, visit our fantastic interactive exhibition at the Visitor Centre and discover the river’s wildlife and heritage. The information panels surrounding the unique video well describe the walkway, the river’s past, its bridges, its industry, and its people.
Writers’ Museum
Lady Stair’s House, Lady Stair’s Close, Lawnmarket
Edinburgh EH1 2PA
0131 529 4901
Visitors can see portraits, rare books and personal objects including Burns’ writing desk, the printing press on which Scott’s Waverley Novels were first produced, and Scott’s own dining table and rocking horse. We have Robert Louis Stevenson’s riding boots and the ring given to him by a Samoan chief, engraved with the name ‘Tusitala’, meaning ‘teller of tales’.