Halfway down the Royal Mile is 'the noisiest museum in the world'. Often filled with the chatter of excited children, it covers serious issues related to childhood – health, education, upbringing etc – but also has an enormous collection of toys, dolls, games and books, recordings of school lessons from the 1930s to modern times, and film of kids playing street games in 1950s Edinburgh.
Museum of Childhood
Old Town
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Edinburgh Castle
0.6 MILES
Edinburgh Castle has played a pivotal role in Scottish history, both as a royal residence – King Malcolm Canmore (r 1058–93) and Queen Margaret first made…
Rosslyn Chapel
6.64 MILES
Many years may have passed since Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code and the subsequent film came out, but floods of visitors still descend on Scotland's…
Royal Yacht Britannia
2.18 MILES
Built on Clydeside, the former Royal Yacht Britannia was the British Royal Family's floating holiday home during their foreign travels from the time of…
Traquair House
24.14 MILES
One of Scotland's great country houses, Traquair House has a powerful, ethereal beauty, and exploring it is like time travel. Odd, sloping floors and a…
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
1.62 MILES
Edinburgh's gallery of modern art is split between two impressive neoclassical buildings surrounded by landscaped grounds some 500m west of Dean Village…
Scottish Parliament Building
0.45 MILES
The Scottish Parliament Building, on the site of a former brewery and designed by Catalan architect Enric Miralles (1955–2000), was opened by the Queen in…
Royal Botanic Garden
1.36 MILES
Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden is the second-oldest institution of its kind in Britain (after Oxford), and one of the most respected in the world…
Palace of Holyroodhouse
0.54 MILES
This palace is the royal family's official residence in Scotland but is more famous as the 16th-century home of the ill-fated Mary, Queen of Scots. The…
Nearby Old Town attractions
1. John Knox House
0.03 MILES
The Royal Mile narrows at the foot of High St beside the jutting facade of John Knox House. This is the oldest surviving tenement in Edinburgh, dating…
2. Tron Kirk
0.09 MILES
Built in 1637 and taking its name from the tron (public weighbridge) that once stood on the site, this church is famous for its magnificent oak hammer…
3. Scotsman Steps
0.12 MILES
This is public art at its best: harmonious, understated and accessible. In 2010 Turner Prize winner Martin Creed was commissioned by the Fruitmarket…
4. City Art Centre
0.15 MILES
This art centre comprises six floors of exhibitions with a variety of themes, including an extensive collection of Scottish art. Fees apply for special…
5. Dovecot Studios
0.15 MILES
A world-class tapestry studio and contemporary arts-and-crafts centre housed in what was once Edinburgh’s oldest public baths, Dovecot has a remarkable…
6. Fruitmarket Gallery
0.16 MILES
One of Edinburgh's most innovative and popular galleries, the Fruitmarket showcases the work of contemporary Scottish and international artists, and also…
7. City Chambers
0.17 MILES
The imposing Georgian City Chambers, home to the City of Edinburgh Council, were originally built by John Adam (brother of Robert) between 1753 and 1761…
8. Mercat Cross
0.18 MILES
Outside the eastern end of St Giles Cathedral stands the Mercat Cross, a 19th-century copy of the 1365 original, where merchants and traders met to…