Edinburgh - Museums

06-19 and 06-22 2026

Although we did not go to the National Museum or Gallery, we visited some of the smaller museums around Edinburgh.

The Museum of Childhood was nostalgic with its displays of toys from the past to present.

These baby toys were ones I played with.

Fuzzy felt was one of my favorite toys when I was a little girl.

My mom collected dolls and I collected Barbies. She would have loved these displays.

My sister and I loved playing Mouse Trap and later it was my son's favorite game.

It also had displays from well before my own childhood.

The Museum of Magic, Fortune Telling and Witchcraft was hidden away in Chalmer's Close. It was a tiny museum - just one small room but interesting.

It showed the robes worn by a neo-druid society.

A book from the time of witchcraft trials and burnings which tried to defend many victims by classifying magic into different categories with only witchcraft being deemed illegal.

There was a Voodoo Box used by a New Orleans "Witch Doctor"

The display of different luck charms was very interesting.

We tried to visit the Writer's Museum which featured famous Scottish writers such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott. Unfortunately it was closed as they were doing some renovations.

It was located in Lady Stairs Close. Edinburgh has many closes, hideaways that were one private gated sections. We only explored a few of them.

Once inside the close, we discovered not only the closed musuem, but a memorial for Scottish war poets.

The walkway featured famous quotes from Scottish writers.

This one is from the renowned Scottish poet, Robert Burns, who wrote "Auld Lang Syne".