Edinburgh Galleries, Museums & Monuments
City Centre Attractions Whilst staying at the Herald House Hotel, enjoying some of the cultural and
architectural aspects of Edinburgh is a must, 1) because Edinburgh is known throughout the
world as the Athens of the North and 2) because these attractions are either free or very
reasonably priced, so they are affordable for those on a budget. From the Herald House
Hotel it is easy to walk or take the bus into Princes Street where you will find the
National Gallery Complex and the Scott Monument. Just over Waverly Bridge sits the
City Arts Centre and at the top of Calton Hill there is the Nelson Monument – all
of these attractions lie very close together and so are “do-able” in a day. National Gallery The National Gallery Complex is one of Scotland’s top free visitor attractions,
Edinburgh’s second most-visited attraction after the Castle and is home to a major
part of Scotland’s national collection of fine art. There are 3 interconnected buildings;
the National Gallery, the Royal Scottish Academy Building (which hosts Europe’s
international exhibitions) and the Weston Link, which lies beneath the two buildings
and connects them together with areas for shopping, learning, eating and drinking. Scott Monument For £3, you can climb the 200 feet Scott Monument, which was erected as a tribute to
Sir Walter Scott, the Scottish literary figure who died in 1832. At the top, once
you’ve regained your breath, experience the dizzyingly high views of the city centre.
City Arts Centre Keep walking east and down over Waverly Bridge and you’ll come to the City Arts Centre,
Scotland’s home emporium of the visual arts. Opened in 1980 it is another free centre
which has 6 exhibition galleries. The exhibitions themselves have been as diverse as
the Egyption antiquaries and Star Trek! Nelson’s Monument Come back across the bridge and turn right and you’re heading in the direction of Calton Hill.
Ignore the column monument (known locally as Edinburgh’s disgrace) and head in the direction of
the huge upturned telescope – the monument to honour Admiral Lord Nelson’s victory and death at
the battle of Trafalgar. There are 143 steps to climb here, but it’s worth it as the views take
in 360 degrees covering the Moorfoot Hills, the Firth of Forth, Leith and the north side of Edinburgh
and right out to the Forth Road Bridge. These are only the city centre attractions; there are a variety of other major Galleries around
Edinburgh most notably the Gallery of Modern Art and the Dean Gallery which sit together over
in Ravelston. In addition, there are a variety of smaller galleries and museums to visit including:
• The Writer’s Museum, Lawnmarket, Royal Mile
• Brass Rubbing Centre, Chalmers Close, Royal Mile
• The Museum of Edinburgh, 142 Canongate, Royal Mile
• The People’s Story, 163 Canongate, Royal Mile
• Lauriston Castle, Cramond Road South, Davidson’s Mains
• Queensferry Museum, 53 High Street, South Queensferry
• Newhaven Heritage Museum, Pier Place, Newhaven Prices may be subject to change during peak season, please check with individual companies