Camera Obscura

Really enjoyed this place. Worth visiting as a local and as a tourist. The price was reasonable. We enjoyed every level of the building which were all crammed with great illusions and things to do. There wasn't too many people which may have affected the experience as it's only a small building. We also thought it was very considerate that they include alcohol hand gel for your usage as a lot of the exhibits are interactive. The view from the top was also great and would be somewhere worth viewing the sunset from - which you could do as you get a stamp so you can return any time on the day you visit. The view was affected only by the stands on the parade ground currently in place which meant you couldn't see the castle. Finally the staff were lovely and every person we interacted with was kind, friendly and funny. All in all an enjoyable experience.

Wonderful for the children! + sweet personnel ++ Many different, funny and tricky scientific pieces. + Very informative. Great for tourists to learn about the Scottish history! + Good for almost all ages (3-99 years)! - Only minus was the price but because of the many things to see, do and learn it was absolutely worth it!

Lived in Edinburgh my whole life but had never been here before. It's brilliant! Took my niece and we had a ball. Tickets aren't cheap, and you may be thinking it's too expensive for something crammed into such a small building, but there's so much to do. We had more fun here than we did at Dynamic Earth or the zoo. Little one loved it (and the big kid in me did too). Ticket lasts all day so you can leave for lunch and go back as often as you like. Highly recommended.

This museum is fantastic!!! All about illusions, points of view, and perspective in a very fun and hands on sort of way. Great show as well on the top floor -- Beth, our guide -- was amazing. We had a great time. We came 3 adults, and it was wonderful. Great for kids, too!

A must visit for anyone visiting Edinburgh looking for a bit of fun. Lots of fun magic/illusion themed 'exhibits' inside including a tunnel that's completely still but makes you really dizzy - it has to be seen for yourself! Make sure you visit on a clear day for the Camera Obscura part where they show you Edinburgh City Centre projected onto a table and zoom into people using magnification techniques. Quite clever considering it's old techniques and literally just using light and perspective. Fantastic views of Edinburgh from the outdoors top as well.

Best attraction in Edinburgh. Really friendly staff and great exhibits. Kids will love it and can easily spend several hours here. They stamp your hand and you can come and go as you please the whole day. Great when you need a seat or toilets! Superb views of the castle and a great gift shop with lots of quirky stuff. Highly recommend

Great find during our trip to Edinburgh. My 9yr old and I both thoroughly enjoyed it! The camera itself was awaiting a repair due to the weather, but that didn't affect the visit as the staff have cleverly filmed a replica and it looks just as good, and they still show you what the camera would look like, and despite is being a recording, it's just as good as the real thing. Lots of other exhibits to see, some favourites of ours were the mirror maze (four times! 😂) The optical illusion head chamber, the severed head illusion, the aging booths, the trumping chair, the kaleidoscope designer, and the CCTV cameras. My daughter LOVED the vortex tunnel, as did I until half way through it, then I wanted off it ASAP 😂😂😂 she would've stayed there all day I think though. Lots of fun and giggles to be had by both of us. Somewhere to store luggage (at your own risk as it's not manned) staff always helpful, clever one way systems to adhere to Covid regulations, a chance to see Edinburgh from the rooftops. Just on the whole a great find. Staff constantly cleaning exhibits, gloves provided for the mirror maze etc to ensure no touching surfaces. A really pleasant experience, one we booked last minute and I'm so very pleased we did. Be aware of walking from Princes Street that it's atop a HUGE steep hill, we weren't expecting it, and had to push suitcases up it, so if you have luggage, I'd suggest a taxi to the royal mile rather than walking up the hill.

Huge amount of fun for all the family, we spent 2 hours in there. Reasonably busy, on a Thursday, but still managed to get to all the exhibits. Fabulous views from the top. We were lucky to get a clear day for the camera and viewing platform. Very young children/toddlers may not get the most out of it. Lots of stairs. Not sure if there is a lift, best to check if you need one before booking /going.

An amazing trip! I have to admit I was sceptical at first, however the staff from the get go were extremely friendly. The attraction was really fun, my 5 year old daughter loved it! There were surprises and so much interesting interactive parts. We absolutely loved it and would love to return. Very well done and a bargain to be had for a great attraction!

Very cool 👍 place. Initially I had some reservations, I thought maybe it was aimed more at kids or families, but no! I had a lot of fun during today's visit. The thermal camera 🎥, mirror maze and the 3d optical illusions make the place a pleasure to visit for either kids and adults. The staff is constantly cleaning, the traffic is one-way only and the experience is overall very good, even in these trying times. Strongly recommend!