AROUND TOWN | Museums & Attractions
FIVE REASONS TO GO TO . . .
MOUSE TAXIDERMY CLASS 1 Learn new skills Taught by an expert from the London Taxidermy Academy, this two- day course is an introduction to the art and teaches everything you need to know, from stuffing and mounting your first animal (what do you mean it’s only your first?) to how to apply these newly-learned skills in other areas of your life. 2 It’s crafting for cool kids Crafting has taken off in a big way over recent years, but there’s always been a niche to fill for people unmoved by knitting or cross stitch. Now there’s a chance for those who prefer their crafts with a whiff of death to jump on the bandwagon. 3 It’s in an erotic boutique Forget university lecture rooms or community centres, a unique environment is needed in order to get those creative juices running. The unconventional, but in the best possible taste, backdrop of specialist books and interesting toys is bound to open your mind and once the class finishes, you can do a spot of browsing. You know, while you’re in there. 4 Find your soulmate..? The White Rabbit is as welcoming and non-judgemental as you’d imagine. And let’s face it, if your idea of fun is cutting open deceased animals, stuffing them with cotton and sewing them shut again, this might not be something to mention casually over after-work drinks. But here you already know you’ll share a hobby with your classmates. 5 Pote ntial presents In these times of austerity, aren’t handmade gifts much more pleasing to receive? Plus, think of the hours of fun to be had freaking out your flatmate with your stuffed creation. And even if the idea of handling a dead mouse gives you the heave, the shop plans to get some small pieces in to sell, so you won’t even have to do any of the nasty work yourself. (Kirstyn Smith) ■ White Rabbit, Edinburgh, Sat 20–Sun 21 Jul.
46 THE LIST 11 Jul–22 Aug 2013
■ MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD 42 High Street, 529 4142, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; Sun noon–5pm. Free. Kids can learn about the toys, clothes and lifestyles of children of the past in this Royal Mile museum. Nostalgia for grown-ups guaranteed. ■ MUSEUM ON THE MOUND The Mound, 243 5464, museumonthemound.com Tue–Fri 10am–5pm; Sat & Sun 1–5pm; closed Mon. Free. Hosted inside the Bank of Scotland’s head office, this museum is all about money. Learn how money has evolved over the past 4000 years or try cracking a safe.
■ NATIONAL MINING MUSEUM SCOTLAND Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, 663 7519, scottishminingmuseum.com Daily 10am–5pm. £7.50 (£5.50; children free). Nine miles south of Edinburgh, this museum is one of the best-preserved Victorian collieries in Europe. Learn about the life of a miner by taking a tour around the site.
■ NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789, nms. ac.uk Daily 10am–5pm. Free. Renovated in 2011, this national beacon of culture has exhibitions on natural history, science and technology, Scottish history, art and design and world cultures in galleries surrounding a beautiful naturally-lit atrium space. Amazing Amber Until Sun 8 Sept. This exhibition of fossilised tree resin contains that famous walking stick from Jurassic Park, as well as pieces from Myanmar, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and much more. Mary, Queen of Scots Until Sun 17 Nov. A fresh look at the enigmatic monarch, looking at the drama of her story through personal items, documents and portraits. ■ NATIONAL MUSEUMS COLLECTION CENTRE 242 West Granton Road, 247 4770, nms.ac.uk Visits by appointment only or with occasional tours. Following the redevelopment of the National Museum, two new collection buildings have also been added to the storage and conservation centre at Granton. From vintage motorbikes to whale and dinosaur bones – it’s all there.
■ OUR DYNAMIC EARTH Holyrood Road, 550 7800, dynamicearth. co.uk Daily 10am–6pm (last entry 4.30pm). £11.50 (£9.75; under 16s £7.50; under 3s free). Take an interactive journey through the history of the earth. Go to the tundra or the bottom of the ocean, never being more than a stone’s throw from the Scottish Parliament and Arthur’s Seat.
■ PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE Royal Mile, 556 5100, royalcollection.
org.uk Daily 9.30am–6pm (last admission 5pm). £11 (£10; under 17s £6.65; under 5s
■ THE TALL SHIP AT RIVERSIDE 150 Pointhouse Place, 357 3699, thetallship.com Daily 10am–5pm. Free. Step aboard the Glenlee, one of only five Clyde-built ships still afloat today. Learn about the maritime history of the area through talks, tours and costume days.
EDINBURGH
■ CAMERA OBSCURA & WORLD OF ILLUSIONS Castlehill, 226 3709, camera-obscura. co.uk Daily 9.30am–9pm. £11.95 (£9.95; under 16s £8.75; under 5s free). The ‘camera’ is a giant periscope inside a Victorian rooftop tower on the Royal Mile, giving a spectacular 360° perspective on Edinburgh, plus there’s interactive optical fun galore. The building also contains three galleries and lights up at night. ■ DEEP SEA WORLD Battery Quarry, North Queensferry, 01383 411880, deepseaworld.com Mon– Fri 10am–5pm; Sat & Sun 10am–6pm (last entry one hour before closing). £13 (£11; under 13s £9; under 3s free; family £38–£42). From seals to piranhas, this marine life centre has a petting area and underwater tunnel so you can get to grips with the deep. Approximately a 20-minute drive from Edinburgh.
■ EDINBURGH CASTLE AND NATIONAL WAR MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND Castlehill, 225 9846 (info)/ 668 8081 (bookings), edinburghcastle.gov.uk / nms.ac.uk/war Daily 9.30am–6pm. £16 (£12.80; children £9.60; under 5s free). Perhaps Edinburgh’s most visible landmark, the Castle perches on top of a rocky outcrop at the head of the Royal Mile, and includes ceremonial rooms, fortifications, dungeons, and Scotland’s Honours or crown jewels. Inside, the National War Museum delves into the past 400 years of the country’s military history. Arctic Convoys Until Mar 2014. A look at the merchant and military ships that sailed the Arctic during WWII and the thousands of seaman who endured life on board. ■ THE EDINBURGH DUNGEON 31 Market Street, 240 1001 (info)/ 0871 423 2250 (bookings), thedungeons.com Daily 10am–5pm until Fri 19 Jul; from Sat 20 Jul 10am–7pm. £10.95–£16.20 (£10.50–15; under 16s £9.50–£12). A grizzly look into historical Edinburgh, with actor-led tours and rides, just above Waverley Station.
■ EDINBURGH ZOO Corstorphine Road, 334 9171, edinburghzoo.org.uk Daily 9am–6pm. £16 (£13.50; under 16s £11.50; under 3s free). Visitors can see the headline- grabbing giant pandas, the famous Penguin Parade and over 1000 other rare and interesting animals and birds at this site three miles west of the city centre.
✽Sand Zoo Until Fri 30 Aug. A sand sculptor
sets up shop in the zoo to create masterpiece likenesses of the zoo’s celebrity animals, including Woytek the brown bear and Umfolozi the white rhino.
GREAT DAYS OUT
IDEAS
free). The official Scottish residence of the Queen, this baroque palace was once home to Mary Queen of Scots and now houses the great artworks and tapestries of its regal residents.
■ HOLYROOD PARK Holyrood Park Road, 652 8150, historic-scotland.gov.uk Open at all times; Holyrood Lodge Information Centre daily 9.30am–3pm. Free. The main entrance to this large royal park, east of the city centre, is flanked by the Palace of Holyrood House and the Scottish Parliament Building. Its main feature is Arthur’s Seat, an 823-foot hill which has a number of smaller peaks and ponds surrounding it.
■ REAL MARY KING’S CLOSE 2 Warriston’s Close, High St, 0845 070 6244, realmarykingsclose.com Daily 10am–9pm. £12.95 (£11.45; children £7.45). Beneath the Royal Mile lies a warren of hidden closes where citizens of Edinburgh lived and died in the 16th and 17th centuries. The underground tours are led by guides in the character of real people who lived in the close.
■ ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH Inverleith Row, 552 7171, rbge.org.uk Daily 10am–6pm (last admission 5pm). Free; glasshouse entry £4.50 (£3.50; children £1; family £9). These gardens, founded in the 17th century, cover over 70 acres and are just one mile from the city centre. There are glasshouses and cafés within the grounds, as well as high-profile art exhibitions at Inverleith House. Leafing through Natural Scotland Exhibition Until Wed 31 Jul. An exhibition of images and objects connecting books to nature. Scotland’s Lost Gardens From Sat 3 Aug. Outdoor exhibition of images of the lost gardens of Scotland and the people who created them. Patchwork Meadow From Tue 13 Aug. Wildflower Europe celebrates all things wild and flowery with this giant patchwork. ■ ROYAL OBSERVATORY VISITOR CENTRE Blackford Hill, 668 8404, roe.ac.uk/ vc Entry by arrangement or at Public Astronomy evenings (weekly, Fri 6.30pm & 8pm). Public Astronomy evenings £4 (£3). See the stars through the research centre’s magnificent copper domes at weekly astronomy evenings.
■ ROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA Ocean Terminal, Leith, 555 5566, royalyachtbritannia.co.uk Daily 9.30am–4.30pm. £12 (£10.50; under 18s £7.50; under 5s free; family £35). Take a guided tour of the ornate floating royal residence (and the naval quarters below) and learn about life aboard the yacht, which served the royal family for almost 50 years.
■ SCOTCH WHISKY EXPERIENCE 354 Castlehill, 220 0441, scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk Daily 10am–6pm; entry is as part of a tour. Tours £12.75–£52 (£10.25–£26; under 18s £6.50). Learn more about Scotland’s tastiest export with a tour and tasting session. There is also a bar and restaurant if you need a few more drams to help decide which is your favourite.
■ SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT Horse Wynd, 0800 092 7500, scottish. parliament.uk Opening hours vary according to whether Parliament is in session, see website for details. Free. See Spanish architect Enric Miralles’ magnificent (and controversial) Holyrood building, take a tour of the interior, sit in on a debate or look at the artwork on display.
■ SCOTT MONUMENT Princes Street Gardens East, 529 4068, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Daily 10am– 7pm. £4. Commemorating Sir Walter Scott, this is the largest monument to a writer in the world. Take all 287 steps to the top for a great view of the city, plus occasional exhibitions. ■ SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE AND JOHN KNOX HOUSE 43–45 High Street, 556 9579, scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk Mon– Sat 10am–6pm; closed Sun. Free entry to SSC; John Knox House £4.25 (£3.75; children £1; under 7s free). A stylish contemporary building appended to the 15th-century home of Protestant reformer John Knox, housing materials relating to Scotland’s rich oral culture.
■ SURGEONS’ HALL MUSEUM Nicolson Street, 527 1649, museum. rcsed.ac.uk Daily 10am–5pm (last entry 4.15pm). £5 (£3). Home to permanent collections on pathological anatomy, the history of surgery and dentistry, as well as temporary exhibitions, talks and occasionally gruesome hands-on events.