Location: New Town
Top Things to do in New Town
10 Museums in New Town That You Shouldn't Miss
Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital city, renowned for its heritage, culture and festivals.
Take a long walk around the centre to explore the World Heritage Sites of the Old Town and New Town, as well as all the area’s museums and galleries. Then stop for a delicious meal made from fresh Scottish produce before heading out to take in one of Edinburgh’s many events — including the famous summer festivals of culture, or the Winter Festivals of music, light and ceilidhs.
Restaurants in Edinburgh
1. 24 Royal Circus
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
2. Torrance Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
3. Colours Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
4. Robertson Fine Art
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
5. The Honours, Edinburgh Castle
6. Ingleby Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Founded in 1998, Ingleby Gallery maintains an ambitious program of exhibitions and off-site projects by established and emerging artists. Over the past 20 years, it has secured a reputation as one of the country’s leading private galleries, renowned for the quality of its exhibitions and publications. The Gallery represents artists of international standing, whilst also introducing and supporting artists at earlier stages in their career. We are pleased to advise public, private and corporate clients about buying art, and in starting, building and maintaining collections. On May 12 of 2018 Ingleby celebrated its 20th birthday by opening a new gallery in a historic building in central Edinburgh. The Glasite Meeting House is a category A listed former place of worship of the small Scottish religious sect known as the Glasites, named after the Rev. John Glas who broke away from the Church of Scotland in 1732.
Reviewed By 227ianc - London, United Kingdom
Hidden down the streets of the New Town of Edinburgh is the former Meeting House of the Glasites a Scottish religious sect of followers of John Glas (1695-1773), who was removed from the Church of Scotland ministry in 1730 for his beliefs. The first Glasite church was founded in Dundee and the Edinburgh church was established in 1755, relocating to their architecturally simple building in Barony Street in the 1830's where they remained until the sect dissolved in 1989. The building is now owned by the Scottish Historic Buildings Trust and is occupied by the Ingleby Gallery after a sympathetic restoration which has a touch of contemporary colour. The current exhibition in the main meeting room space has synergies with the building as French artist Martine Hugonnier explores changes in art over time, in this case with sequential travel posters and with the restoration of paintings, but you can see a link with the subtle internal changes to the Glasite Meeting Room itself. Upstairs, in a gallery which has a real fire burning, is a selection from artists represented by the gallery. How many galleries do you know have a fire burning, even if the weather outside is ghastly?
7. Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,670 reviews
Come face to face with the people who shaped Scotland’s past, present and future at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. One of Edinburgh’s most remarkable buildings, the Gallery opened to the public in 1889 as the world’s first purpose-built portrait gallery. Displays at the Gallery explore different aspects of the story of Scotland and her people, told through a wealth of imagery including portraits of famous historical figures such as Mary Sommeville, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns, through to more recent pioneers in science, sport and the arts including Emeli Sandé, Billy Connolly and Tilda Swinton. Round off your trip with a visit to Café Portrait for a delicious lunch or coffee. Admission is free, but tickets must be booked in advance. The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is part of the National Galleries of Scotland, which also includes the Scottish National Gallery and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.
Reviewed By mg706 - Arlington, United States
This is a large museum dedicated to portraiture of all types. The building is a beautiful Neo-Gothic palace with many rooms to explore. One can easily spend several hours here, both admiring the art and learning about Scottish history and culture. My own favorite parts of the museum were the Main Hall, with elaborate decorative friezes of many historical Scottish figures, and the top-floor galleries of seventeenth and eighteenth century portraits. Free admission. Highly recommended.
8. Open Eye Gallery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7 reviews
9. West Register House
10. ScotlandsPeople Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By Bean-astair
I use this facility regularly, and have done so since 1984. It has developed and improved a very great deal since I first used it, and beats most countries' corresponding service into a cocked hat in a distant corner. It is well organised and makes the information quickly and easiy accessible. You pay £15 for a day and you get a desk with a computer terminal and a socket for a laptop and access to all the statutory records of births, marriages and deaths and the census. You can print out (at an additional charge) birth certificates more than 110 years old, marriage certificates more than 75 years old, death certificates more than 50 years old, and census records, or you can just transcribe them. If you are struggling with the system, or having trouble deciphering something, the staff are very helpful. Incidentally SunTanScott who complained in his review about being ripped off was factually incorrect. Contrary to what he claimed, you cannot view births less than 100 years ago on either of the Irish sites he mentioned. For online access to the GRONI site he mentioned the cost per certificate is £2, and you cannot save or print it, and it expires after a few weeks, while the cost of the corresponding certificate from Scotland's People online is £1.50, and you can save it or print it and view it indefinitely. You only have to pay the (admittedly hefty) fee for a certificate from Scotland's People if you choose to get a certificate of an event more recent than the cut-off dates. If you are in a Scotland's People Centre there is no additional charge if you transcribe the information in-house, even after the cut-off dates. There is an in-house cafe with a modest menu, and there are changing exhibitions in the main bulding which are free of charge. The building itself warrants a visit just to see the inside of the dome, and of the Historical Search Room upstairs.
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