list.co.uk/aroundtown Museums & Attractions | AROUND TOWN
UK stop in Edinburgh to enlighten us all as to the real nature of one of the most mythologised races in history. Through new archaeological finds and objects rarely seen outside of Scandinavia, Vikings explores death rituals, domestic lives, crafts, mythology and the symbolism of the Viking ships.
■ 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 Wed–Sun 10am–5.30pm (last entry 4pm); closed Mon & Tue. £11.50 (£9.75; under 16s £7.20; 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–4.30pm (last admission 3.30pm). £10.75 (£9.80; under 17s £6.50; under 5s 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.
■ ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH Inverleith Row, 552 7171, rbge.org. uk Daily 10am–4pm. 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. Joseph Rock: Impressions of China Until Fri 21 Dec, 10am–4.30pm (not Sat & Sun). A selection of images and diaries from the collection of Joseph Rock (1884-1962) who spent much of his life exploring south-western China. Roots to Shoots: Celebrating Ten years of Dewar Arts Awards Until March 2013. Exhibition celebrating ten years of Scottish visual arts talent that have been encouraged and supported by the Dewar Arts Awards. ■ ROYAL OBSERVATORY VISITOR CENTRE Blackford Hill, 668 8404, roe.ac.uk/ vc Entry by arrangement or at Public Astronomy evenings (weekly, Fri 7.30pm & 9pm). 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– 3.30pm. £11.75 (£10; under 18s £7.50; under 5s free; family £34). 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 £12.50–£50 (£10–£25; 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. FREE Scotch Whisky: From Grain to Glass Until Fri 25 Jan, times vary. Exhibition showing the scale and diversity of the Scotch Whisky industry, with materials on show from distilleries across the country, including bottles dating back to the early 20th century and classic advertising campaigns.
■ SCOTT MONUMENT Princes Street Gardens East, 529 4068, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Mon–Sat 9am–4pm; Sun 10am–6pm. £3. Commemorating Sir Walter Scott, this is the largest monument to any writer in the world. Take all 287 steps to the top for a great view of the city, and occasional exhibitions.
■ SCOTTISH STORYTELLING CENTRE AND JOHN KNOX HOUSE 43–45 High Street, 556 9579, scottishstorytellingcentre.co.uk. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm. 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 Mon–Fri noon–4pm; closed Sat & Sun. £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.
Holiday time means taxi time!
For fantastic rates on airport transfers visit www.citycabs.co.uk book online or call 0131 228 1211
- Pick up and drop off point only steps from the terminal
- Meet and Greet facility available - City Cabs iphone app booker available to download
13 Dec 2012–24 Jan 2013 THE LIST 69
GLASGOW SCIENCE CENTRE Whether you are looking for something educational to show to your kiddie winks on a day off, or just a Brian Cox enthusiast, Glasgow Science Centre is sure to tick the box. Check the Centre’s website for information on special school events and workshops, or just drop by and see the interactive exhibits spread across three floors, demonstrations in the Science Show Theatre and a variety of live events in the Planetarium. ■ glasgowsciencecentre.org
prepared for the biggest celebration of the year – Hogmanay. Meet Mary, Queen of Scots and her lady in waiting, and find out how they prepared for the games and entertainment. Also features a musket display from the soldiery. Swords of the Righteous Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jan, 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm & 3pm. Partially dramatised explanation of how and why Cromwell’s army came to lay siege to Edinburgh Castle, and how it was successful.
Mile museum. Nostalgia for grown-ups guaranteed. ■ MUSEUM OF FIRE 76–78 Lauriston Place, 659 7285, lothian. fire-uk.org/museum Tue–Fri 10am–4pm; closed Sat–Mon. Free. The museum inside this fire station tells the story of the oldest fire brigade in the UK, formed in 1824. See genuine artifacts including horse-drawn fire engines and early motor models.
■ THE EDINBURGH DUNGEON 31 Market Street, 240 1001 (info)/ 0871 423 2250 (bookings), thedungeons.com Daily Mon–Fri 11am–4pm; Sat & Sun 10am–5pm. £10.20–£16.20 (under 16s £6–£12). A grizzly look into historical Edinburgh, with actor-led tours and rides, just above Waverley Station. ■ MUSEUM ON THE MOUND The Mound, 243 5464, museumonthemound.com Tue–Fri 10am– -5pm; Sat & Sun 1-–5pm. 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.
■ EDINBURGH ZOO Corstorphine Road, 334 9171, edinburghzoo.org.uk. Daily 9am–4.30pm. £15.50 (£13; under 16s £11; 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.
■ 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 that has a number of smaller peaks and ponds surrounding it. ■ MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD 42 High Street, 529 4142, edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venues/ museum-of-childhood 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
■ NATIONAL MINING MUSEUM SCOTLAND Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, 663 7519, scottishminingmuseum. com Daily 10am–4pm thereafter. £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. Dr Livingstone, I Presume? Until April 2013. Exhibition examining the life of the legendary missionary and explorer, created in partnership with the National Museums of Malawi. Vikings! Fri 18 Jan–May 2013. £9 (£7.50; children £6; under 12s free). A touring exhibition from the Historiska Museet in Stockholm, making its only