Dynamic Earth - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7 September 2004. The formal opening by Queen Elizabeth II took place on 9 October 2004. Enric Miralles, the Spanish architect who designed the building, died before its completion.

The Queen's Gallery is an art gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland. It forms part of the Palace of Holyroodhouse complex. It was opened in 2002 by Queen Elizabeth II, and exhibits works from the Royal Collection. It is open to the public daily. This Victorian building was originally built as Holyrood Free Church, but was last used for worship in 1915, see Redundant church. Prior to its conversion to become the Queen's Gallery the building was used as a storeroom.

Palace of Holyroodhouse, also known as Holyrood Palace was originally built by James IV of Scotland between 1501 and 1505, as a Gothic palace adjacent to the 12th-century abbey. It has served as the principal royal residence in Scotland since the 16th century, and is a setting for state occasions and official entertaining. Queen Elizabeth II spends one week in residence at Holyroodhouse at the beginning of each summer, where she carries out a range of official engagements and ceremonies.

The Museum of Edinburgh, is a museum in Edinburgh, Scotland, housing a collection relating to the town's origins, history and legends. It comprises of a variety of items related to Edinburgh’s history and legends, including objects made of silver, ceramic and glass. Moreover, there are several remarkable articles, for example, the original drawings of the New Town or a miniature of the Old Town dating from the sixteenth century, from the time of Mary, Queen of Scots.

This is a beautiful natural garden offering a tranquil escape from the often-hectic Royal Mile. Originally created back in the 19th century by the landscape architect Sir Patrick Geddes, but heavily reconstructed by Seamus Filor in the 1970s, the garden boasts fragrant flowers, blooming bushes and sweet-smelling herbs - and all just a matter of metres from the capital’s busiest pedestrian street.

The Canongate is the lower section of the famous Royal Mile in Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. It was once a separate burgh from the city itself before becoming incorporated in 1865 as a district of the capital. The Canongate contains several historic buildings including Queensberry House, now incorporated in the Scottish Parliament Building complex, Huntly House, the Canongate Tolbooth and the Canongate Kirk, opened in 1691 replacing Holyrood Abbey as the parish church of the Canongat