Best museums to visit in Edinburgh Scotland | Including 2 real hidden gems
- Gem
- Jan 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 11
As a UNESCO World Heritage city, you can expect Edinburgh to have a great selection of museums. Although this is amazing for a museum enthusiast like me, it makes it very hard to choose the right museums to visit in the limited time available during a visit.
That is why I have selected the 5 best and most interesting museums in Edinburgh, according to my personal opinion. I guarantee that there will be at least one museum in this list that appeals to anyone's interests, whether this is art, history, the universe, literature or something else. The last two museums are hidden gems that I have found which I think are worth a visit as well, even though you have probably not heard of them yet.
This guide also includes ticket prices, where to buy tickets, and practical tips to help you plan your visit.
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Table of Contents
1. The Georgian House
The Georgian House is a historic townhouse from the 18th Century which has been restored to show how the people lived during this period. The house is decorated just like how the wealthy would decorate such a home but also includes the living quarters of the employees in the house. The house has many interesting rooms and different rooms that show videos with more information.
Visiting this museum gave me an idea of how people used to live in Edinburgh in the 18th and 19th Centuries but also what household items stood in the house. Definitely visit it if you are interested in Scottish history and historical interiors!
The ticket price for an adult is £13,50 (€15,50 or $18,19) and can be purchased online via their website.
The Georgian House is located close to Dean Village, so I recommend to walk from here to Dean Village and explore this part of Edinburgh. Check out the best walking route to discover this area in my other blog post!
The Georgian House
2. National Gallery of Scotland
I suppose many people already know about this museum, so I will keep it short. Nevertheless, the National Gallery of Scotland is a must-visit. The museum has many impressive Scottish artworks from the 14th Century up until the 20th Century. The museum is quite large and many art pieces will catch your eye, so you may have to manage your time well if you have other things planned on the day of your visit.
Best of all: Entrance to the National Gallery of Scotland is free! This makes it, according to me, the best free museum in Edinburgh.
Paintings in the National Gallery of Scotland
3. Dynamic Earth
Dynamic Earth is Edinburgh's science museum and Planetarium. The interactive walk-through which shows the evolution of the earth offers unique experiences like a Planetarium dome, experiencing an earthquake and a 4D flight. This museum offers fun for everyone, not just for kids. You get to learn about the earth while having fun and being fascinated by everything that you see.
An adult ticket for Dynamic Earth is cheaper online for £21,50 (€24,69 or $28,97). This includes both the museum and Planetarium.
Dynamic Earth
4. The Writers' Museum
This museum is a real gem for all (classic) book-lovers. The Writer's Museum, located in a beautiful 17th Century building honors the three greatest Scottish writers; Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson. Although the museum is not big, you get to know the writers a lot better. This is because of the artefacts that they have, like Burns' writing desk, but also because they tell the life stories of these beloved writers.
Entrance to The Writers' Museum is free!
Outside the Writers' Museum
5. National Mining Museum
Another museum you probably haven't heard of. The National Mining Museum is located in the best preserved Victorian colliery in Europe, just outside of Edinburgh. You can explore every part of this site and even learn about the mines' political, economical and cultural impact on Scotland. The museum has tour guides who guide you through all the rooms in the museum and past all of the preserved machines. I highly recommend booking this option which is only £1.35 more expensive then the audio tour.
This museum surprised me with many interesting facts, artefacts and the employees at the museum are some of the nicest people I have met in Edinburgh. If you have time to go this museum, then please do and you won't be disappointed. This museum is truly one of a kind in the whole of Europe.
The museum is easily reachable by bus. Tickets can be bought online via the National Mining Museum website. The guided tour costs £11,45 (€13,15 or $15,43) per person and the audio tour is £9,80 (€11,25 or $13,20).
Thank you for reading this blog and have fun in Edinburgh! Remember to stay open for spontaneity!
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