Location: Edinburgh
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The 10 Best History Museums in Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital city, renowned for its heritage, culture and festivals.
Take a long walk around the centre to explore the World Heritage Sites of the Old Town and New Town, as well as all the area’s museums and galleries. Then stop for a delicious meal made from fresh Scottish produce before heading out to take in one of Edinburgh’s many events — including the famous summer festivals of culture, or the Winter Festivals of music, light and ceilidhs.
Restaurants in Edinburgh
1. The Honours, Edinburgh Castle
2. National War Museum of Scotland
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 837 reviews
Following the latest Scottish Government guidelines, the National War Museum will reopen on Saturday 1 May. The national collections within our care will continue to be monitored and made secure during this time. You can also keep in touch by following us on our social media channels and through our website www.nms.ac.uk.
Reviewed By NicolaD914 - Kingston-upon-Hull, United Kingdom
We visited the Scottish National War Museum in March, just before lockdown. The museum is situated within Edinburgh Castle so entry is included in the Castle admission ticket price. It is an interesting and well laid out museum and chronicles Scottish military history with informative displays including flags, medals, uniforms, field guns and weapons throughout military history. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit.
3. People's Story
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 382 reviews
The People's Story gives an unique insight in to Edinburgh's working class people from the 18th century to the late 20th century. The displays include tableaux, original objects, images and personal stories to reveal their fascinating history of the city. The collection focuses on the history, culture, crafts and trades, and the people of Edinburgh but also as a place to explore more contemporary issues, events and opinions.
Reviewed By leither71 - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
This small museum is worth a visit to learn about the history of the people of Edinburgh. The informative displays cover housing, industry and the trade union movement. The museum is free to visit and gives a real insight into the lives of past generations.
4. Surgeons' Hall Museums
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,612 reviews
Surgeons' Hall Museums is an award winning Museum that is home to one of the largest and most historic pathology collections in the United Kingdom. Surgeons’ Hall Museums reopened in 2015 after a major £4.4 million Heritage Lottery Funded redevelopment project. As one of the oldest Museums in Scotland, the collections grew from 1699 after 'natural and artificial curiosities' were publically sought. In the 1800s, the Museums expanded to include the remarkable collections of Sir Charles Bell and John Barclay, with the Playfair Building opening in 1832 to house these. Whilst the Museums were initially established as a medical teaching resource, all are now welcome to visit. The Museums are currently home to an extensive collection of pathology, anatomy and medical ephemera.
Reviewed By 3grahamed
Thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining and educational visit to a fascinating museum with lots of exhibits showing the development and history of surgery. Tons of curious and grisly and macabre exhibits.
5. Museum of Fire
6. ScotlandsPeople Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By Bean-astair
I use this facility regularly, and have done so since 1984. It has developed and improved a very great deal since I first used it, and beats most countries' corresponding service into a cocked hat in a distant corner. It is well organised and makes the information quickly and easiy accessible. You pay £15 for a day and you get a desk with a computer terminal and a socket for a laptop and access to all the statutory records of births, marriages and deaths and the census. You can print out (at an additional charge) birth certificates more than 110 years old, marriage certificates more than 75 years old, death certificates more than 50 years old, and census records, or you can just transcribe them. If you are struggling with the system, or having trouble deciphering something, the staff are very helpful. Incidentally SunTanScott who complained in his review about being ripped off was factually incorrect. Contrary to what he claimed, you cannot view births less than 100 years ago on either of the Irish sites he mentioned. For online access to the GRONI site he mentioned the cost per certificate is £2, and you cannot save or print it, and it expires after a few weeks, while the cost of the corresponding certificate from Scotland's People online is £1.50, and you can save it or print it and view it indefinitely. You only have to pay the (admittedly hefty) fee for a certificate from Scotland's People if you choose to get a certificate of an event more recent than the cut-off dates. If you are in a Scotland's People Centre there is no additional charge if you transcribe the information in-house, even after the cut-off dates. There is an in-house cafe with a modest menu, and there are changing exhibitions in the main bulding which are free of charge. The building itself warrants a visit just to see the inside of the dome, and of the Historical Search Room upstairs.
7. John Knox House Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 230 reviews
Dating back to 1470, and now incorporated into the Scottish Storytelling Centre, John Knox House is one of Scotland's greatest cultural treasures and is associated with the most dramatic events in Scotland's turbulent history. Enter this ornate 15th century building and discover the conflicts of the Royal Mile’s oldest house. Walk in the footsteps of the famous inhabitants and hear the drama of Scotland’s Reformation unfold in every room. Look out for the tricks and traps to fool intruders and hunt for the devil hiding in The Oak Room ceiling. Opening times: Tuesday - Sunday 10am-6pm, last entry 5pm. Admission: Adult - £6, Concession - £5, Children over 7 - £1, Children under 7 - Free.
Reviewed By LankyOmaha
This is worth a stop along the Royal Mile, particulalry if you are interested in religious history. I learned alot I didn't know about the Scottish reformation. The house itself is also interesting.
8. Queensferry Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 70 reviews
Queensferry Museum showcases the past and traditions of historic Queensferry and neighbouring Dalmeny. The museum has stunning views out onto the Firth of Forth and the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Forth Bridge. Whether your interest is social history, folk traditions or civic engineering, there is something here for everyone to enjoy.
Reviewed By anoomk
Further up the High street, Queensferry Museum boasts a fascinating showcase of the history and traditions of South Queensferry, as well as a wealth of information on the Forth Bridges. It's really great little museum (and free) and has some fantastic information about the construction of the Bridges.
9. Physicians' Gallery
The Physicians' Gallery is a free public exhibition space which is part of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Our exhibitions are based on the wealth of historical medical material which the College has collected over the last 300 years. ‘Moonstruck: 500 years of mental health’ is our new free exhibition– opening on 14 June 2019 and running until Spring 2020
