20 Attractions to Explore Near Surgeons' Hall Museums

Talbot Rice Gallery is dedicated to exploring how the University of Edinburgh can contribute to contemporary art production today and into the future. The exhibitions exemplify creativity and ambition, seen through a distinctive programme of Scottish and international artists, with informed interpretation and lively educational events.

Dovecot is a world-renowned tapestry studio in the heart of Edinburgh and a landmark centre for contemporary art, craft and design. It is a landmark centre for contemporary art, craft and design built around a leading international tapestry studio. The Gallery occupies an extraordinary building in the heart of Edinburgh working to programme, commission and produce exhibitions and events for audiences and clients who share Dovecot’s passion for making and the creative arts.

The Edinburgh Vaults are a series of chambers formed by the 19 arches of South Bridge. Today, the vaults are one of the most haunted places in Edinburgh. For around 30 years, the vaults were used to house taverns, workshops for cobblers and other tradesmen, as well as storage space for said merchants. In later years, the vaults were a hotspot for the homeless and for criminal activity such as illegal gambling taverns, illegal whisky distillery and, according to rumour, bodysnatchers stored corps

The Cowgate is a street in Edinburgh, Scotland, located about 550 yards southeast of Edinburgh Castle, within the city's World Heritage Site. The street is part of the lower level of Edinburgh's Old Town, which lies below the elevated streets of South Bridge and George IV Bridge. Consequently, the Cowgate can be quite gloomy and dark in sections. It meets the Grassmarket at its west end and Holyrood Road to the east.

The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture, and history, and the adjacent Royal Scottish Museum. It incorporates the collections of the former National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland. As well as the national collections of Scottish archaeological finds and medieval objects, the museum contains artifacts from around the world, encompassing geology, archaeol

The statue of a floppy-eared Skye terrier has been sitting at the top of Candlemaker Row since 1873. Usually a flurry of camera-clicking tourists marks the spot. The dog, of course, is the world-famous Greyfriars Bobby. The statue is mounted on a polished column of granite, 3 feet high and 20 inches in diameter, above a polished granite basin 3 feet in diameter, mounted on a plinth, with an octagonal drinking trough at ground level.

The Museum of Childhood was the first museum in the world to be dedicated to the history of childhood and it attracts over 200,000 visitors a year. The collections include eighteenth-century teddy bears and beautiful dolls, all dressed in the period’s clothing. Visitors will also discover puppets, toy soldiers and small and rudimentary cars with pedals, among many other treasures.

Greyfriars Kirk is one of the most famous churches in Edinburgh where you'll find the famous Greyfriars Bobby buried. It is a Protestant church, built between 1602 and 1620, on the former site of a Franciscan monastery, making it one of the oldest buildings in Edinburgh.

John Knox House on Edinburgh's Royal Mile is a well-known tourist attraction, described by one architectural historian as 'improbably picturesque'. The house itself was built from 1490 onwards, featuring a fine wooden gallery and hand-painted ceiling. Investigate the ground floor and you can see the remnants of medieval ‘luckenbooths’, or locked booths, once rented out as shops.

This was a vibrant arts venue with a seasonal programme of live storytelling, theatre, music, exhibitions, workshops, family events and festivals. It is also used as a venue during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The new building, designed by Malcolm Fraser Architects, replaced the former Netherbow Arts Centre, which itself replaced the Moray-Knox Church, demolished in the 1960s.

Royal Mile is the heart of Scotland's historic capital. It runs through the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, connecting the magnificent Edinburgh Castle, perched high on a base of volcanic rock, with the splendorous Palace of Holyroodhouse, resting in the shadow of Arthur's Seat. The streets which make up the Royal Mile are Castlehill, the Lawnmarket, the High Street, the Canongate and Abbey Strand. The Royal Mile is the busiest tourist street in the Old Town, rivalled only by Princes Street in t

The National Library of Scotland is Scotland's largest library, with over 30 million physical items in our world-class collections. Since 1925, our responsibility has been to record, preserve, and share the memories of Scotland's people and their significant, lasting contributions to the world. To do this, we collect and care for Scotland's knowledge, history, and culture — everything from rare historical documents to leaflets and shopping catalogues.

St Giles’ Cathedral, built on an ancient sanctuary built during the ninth century. The temple is dedicated to St Giles, patron saint of the lepers. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; significant alterations were undertaken in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the addition of the Thistle Chapel. St Giles' is closely associated with many events and figures in Scottish history, including John Knox, who served as the church's minister a

Greyfriars Kirkyard is the historic graveyard surrounding the Greyfriars Kirk church, dating to the 1500s, and is rumoured to be among the most haunted graveyards in the world. The parish and graveyard are named for the defunct Franciscan friary on the site whose friars wore grey habits. The graveyard has seen many historic events take place within its grounds and is the site of not only historic resting places but heart-warming tales and bone-chilling ghost stories.

One of Edinburgh's top attractions and only preserved 17th-century street. The close was partially demolished and buried due to the building of the Royal Exchange in the 18th century, and later closed to the public for many years. The area became shrouded in myths and urban legends; tales of hauntings and murders abounded.

Located in the heart of Edinburgh's historic Old Town - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - The City Chambers has enviable views of the city's skyline, providing an enchanting backdrop your event. The current building was originally built as the Royal Exchange, which was funded by subscription and commissioned in 1753.[2] It was designed by John Adam with detail alterations by John Fergus.

Lord Cockburn Street was built as an access to the Waverley Bridge Road at Waverley Rail Station from the High Street near to the Tron Kirk. The Plans for Cockburn Street were submitted over a lengthy period circa 1850 and was finally completed in 1859. Lord Cockburn's head is carved over the entrance to 1 Cockburn Street and The street contains a series of small specialist shops.

Victoria Street was built between 1829-34 as part of a series of improvements to the Old Town, with the aim of improving access around the city. Built between 1829 and 1834, this street is the brainchild of architect Thomas Hamilton, the one who masterminded Edinburgh’s network of neo-classical wonders. It was now gently curved and adorned with colourful shopfronts, is indeed a much loved spot for tourist photos, postcards and TV adverts.

The City Art Centre is an impressive nine-storey former warehouse located in the heart of Edinburgh. Originally constructed between 1899 and 1902, it was converted into gallery use in 1980. it has a collection which include historic and modern Scottish painting and photography, as well as contemporary art and craft. It is an exhibition based venue with no permanent displays.

This was a former fruit and vegetable market, first opened as a gallery in 1974, and has shown artists from Henri Cartier-Bresson and David Hockney to Louise Bourgeois and William Kentridge. The Fruitmarket's programme, publications and events all aim to ‘show thinking happening’ and ‘to demonstrate that art is a creative, active and generous cultural force’. As well as gallery spaces, the Fruitmarket offers a carefully curated shop including books, artist editions and gifts, and a cafe.