Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh
Tired of dragging the kids through yet another castle or gallery where the only thing they can touch is the 鈥淓xit鈥� sign? Then it鈥檚 time to swap stone walls for teddy bears at the Museum of Childhood on the Royal Mile.
This place owes its existence to Patrick Murray, a forward-thinking Edinburgh councillor in the 1950s who noticed children weren鈥檛 exactly thrilled to be hauled into draughty museums on rainy days. His solution was to build a museum entirely about childhood-school, play, health, and above all, toys. By 1955, his dream opened its doors, offering something that could entertain both fidgety kids and their weary parents.
Inside, five floors of nostalgia and discovery are waiting. There鈥檚 an Education section where kids can peer into classrooms from the 1950s onwards, complete with old uniforms and the infamous birch rod-yes, the one used for 鈥渄iscipline.鈥� But don鈥檛 worry, this museum has swapped punishment for play. Around the corner, there鈥檚 a dressing-up room, a puppet theatre, and, naturally, toys galore.
From dolls and teddy bears to tin soldiers with matchstick cannons, train sets, and board games, the displays stretch across centuries and continents. Children can see what kept their parents and grandparents happy before the age of screens, while adults are quietly hit with a wave of nostalgia they themselves find hard to admit to.
And when you think the fun is over, the toy shop on the ground floor will remind you otherwise. Kids can pick out a new favourite, and grown-ups might even find a stand-in for that long-lost teddy they still think about.
Why visit, if you're all by yourself? Because this isn鈥檛 just a family stop-it鈥檚 a time machine filled with joy. Entry is free, though donation boxes and quirky souvenirs await near the exit. Consider it pocket money well spent...
This place owes its existence to Patrick Murray, a forward-thinking Edinburgh councillor in the 1950s who noticed children weren鈥檛 exactly thrilled to be hauled into draughty museums on rainy days. His solution was to build a museum entirely about childhood-school, play, health, and above all, toys. By 1955, his dream opened its doors, offering something that could entertain both fidgety kids and their weary parents.
Inside, five floors of nostalgia and discovery are waiting. There鈥檚 an Education section where kids can peer into classrooms from the 1950s onwards, complete with old uniforms and the infamous birch rod-yes, the one used for 鈥渄iscipline.鈥� But don鈥檛 worry, this museum has swapped punishment for play. Around the corner, there鈥檚 a dressing-up room, a puppet theatre, and, naturally, toys galore.
From dolls and teddy bears to tin soldiers with matchstick cannons, train sets, and board games, the displays stretch across centuries and continents. Children can see what kept their parents and grandparents happy before the age of screens, while adults are quietly hit with a wave of nostalgia they themselves find hard to admit to.
And when you think the fun is over, the toy shop on the ground floor will remind you otherwise. Kids can pick out a new favourite, and grown-ups might even find a stand-in for that long-lost teddy they still think about.
Why visit, if you're all by yourself? Because this isn鈥檛 just a family stop-it鈥檚 a time machine filled with joy. Entry is free, though donation boxes and quirky souvenirs await near the exit. Consider it pocket money well spent...
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Edinburgh. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Museum of Childhood on Map
Sight Name: Museum of Childhood
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland
Create Your Own Walk in Edinburgh
Creating your own self-guided walk in Edinburgh is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
New Town Walking Tour
Rightly regarded as the historic masterpiece of city planning, the New Town of Edinburgh has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. The area forms a significant part of the Scottish capital and is known for its elegant Georgian architecture, abundant shopping opportunities, and many other delights firmly associated with this city.
One of the prominent landmarks in the New Town is... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
One of the prominent landmarks in the New Town is... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Literary Landmarks Tour
For centuries, Edinburgh has been home to numerous writers. The likes of Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, and JK Rowling, just to name a few, have given pride to this city. Fortunately, the tradition doesn't seem to die out any time soon, as Edinburgh keeps producing more and more authors and literary heroes in whose footsteps people still wish to tread.
Naturally, there is a wealth... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Naturally, there is a wealth... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Edinburgh Introduction Walking Tour
If you like cities with a split personality, Edinburgh is definitely one such, featuring a striking mix of medieval and Georgian architecture. Indeed, here medieval grit meets Enlightenment wit, and every cobbled incline has a story to tell-whether your legs are ready for it or not. Perched (or more like wedged) across volcanic hills, the city has been Scotland鈥檚 capital since the 15th century... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Edinburgh Pub Crawl
Edinburgh is rich in pubs, both old and new, spoiling their patrons with the best in town drinks and food. Although most traditional pubs in the city are laid back, with a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, some have dance floors and double as nightclubs. This self-guided adventure takes you to several such spots, each with its own story to tell.
Our journey begins at the World's End Pub, a... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Our journey begins at the World's End Pub, a... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles
Old Town Walking Tour
Edinburgh鈥檚 Old Town isn鈥檛 just old-it鈥檚 ancient, smoky, and proud of itself. This is the city鈥檚 historic core, where centuries of drama, diplomacy, and architectural ambition come layered in stone, soot, and scandal. From its Celtic roots to Roman incursions and royal power plays, this part of town has seen more plot twists than a binge-worthy period drama.
At the heart of it all lies... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
At the heart of it all lies... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Royal Mile Walking Tour
The Royal Mile, a steep thoroughfare in the heart of Edinburgh, has served as the city鈥檚 backbone since the medieval period. Carved along a volcanic ridge called Castle Rock, this spine of the Old Town slopes down from the mighty Edinburgh Castle at one end to the Holyroodhouse Palace and the weathered ruins of Holyrood Abbey at the other. The distance is almost exactly one Scots mile (hence the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
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