Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
4.6
9:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 8:00 PM
About
Winner of VisitScotland's Best Visitor Attraction Experience 2022/23! We are Scotland’s oldest purpose-built attraction, established in 1835. Interact with over 100 illusions and get a breath of fresh air on our magnificent Rooftop Terrace, which offers the most spectacular 360 degree views of Edinburgh. At Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, experience five floors of interactive hands-on optical illusions, tricks and fun things to do including our head-spinning Vortex Tunnel, bewildering Mirror Maze and mind-blowing Shrinking Room. Not to mention our 170 year old Camera Obscura! Get involved, play, touch, listen, and see. Great fun for all ages and nationalities, whatever the weather. 'Best family attraction in Britain’, The Telegraph. 'Five Stars, outstanding, world class', VisitScotland. Free Wi-Fi. Allow about 2 hours. Please note the attraction is located in a listed 17th Century building over 5 floors without a lift. Open every day, open late on holidays.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Old Town
Few Edinburghers live in the Old Town, but its labyrinth of dank alleys and steep streets suggests this was not always the case. Today, it’s mostly visitors, tartan-flavoured souvenir shops, and pipers that you’ll find on its cobbled streets. This is the place to get a feel for Auld Reekie (Old Smelly), as the town was once nicknamed, and stroll the Royal Mile, the thoroughfare that links the castle with the royal palace – two of Edinburgh’s great set-piece attractions. But there’s lots more exploring to do here down dozens of little alleys, or wynds, while at night the city’s busiest clubs erupt along the Cowgate which is closed to traffic for this purpose.
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4.6
16,707 reviews
Excellent
11,233
Very good
4,022
Average
1,024
Poor
290
Terrible
140
Marcin
Edinburgh, UK505 contributions
Feb 2025 • Family
Without doubt it's one of the best attractions in Edinburgh, and for anyone visiting the Scottish capital it should be on a must visit list.My recent visit was booked over the phone on the same day, though previously I had booked my visit online, and would recommend getting it done prior arrival to avoid any disappointment.
On arrival you'd get a timeslot for Camera Obscura, which is located on the top floor. It's a 10-15 mins long presentation of the 18th century equivalent of CCTV. Priority is given to people booked for a particular timeslot, so would recommend to be on time for this presentation. Staff is very welcoming and accommodating. While I was visiting with my family the presentation was led by Julian. He appeared to be very knowledgeable and made people laugh making it memorable experience.
At the entrance you would probably get hand stamped, so could reenter Camera Obscura and World of Illusions at any time during the opening times on the same day. On a day when I visited it was open until 10 pm.
There are 6 levels in total, though ground level is an entrance and shop, while toilets are on the first level, so the whole exhibition is from the second level up. There is parking space for buggies on the ground floor, since staircases are not suitable to carry them up and down. This attraction is not accessible for wheelchairs.
The exhibition between the second and fifth floor is very well laid, and has not really changed for many years. It's all about an optical illusion, and it's brilliant. I would recommend allowing yourself approximately 2 up to 3 hours per visit. Must visit for anyone coming to Edinburgh.
On arrival you'd get a timeslot for Camera Obscura, which is located on the top floor. It's a 10-15 mins long presentation of the 18th century equivalent of CCTV. Priority is given to people booked for a particular timeslot, so would recommend to be on time for this presentation. Staff is very welcoming and accommodating. While I was visiting with my family the presentation was led by Julian. He appeared to be very knowledgeable and made people laugh making it memorable experience.
At the entrance you would probably get hand stamped, so could reenter Camera Obscura and World of Illusions at any time during the opening times on the same day. On a day when I visited it was open until 10 pm.
There are 6 levels in total, though ground level is an entrance and shop, while toilets are on the first level, so the whole exhibition is from the second level up. There is parking space for buggies on the ground floor, since staircases are not suitable to carry them up and down. This attraction is not accessible for wheelchairs.
The exhibition between the second and fifth floor is very well laid, and has not really changed for many years. It's all about an optical illusion, and it's brilliant. I would recommend allowing yourself approximately 2 up to 3 hours per visit. Must visit for anyone coming to Edinburgh.
Written 16 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there, and thank you for your kind review! We are thrilled to hear that you recommend us so highly, and our wonderful staff are fantastic at what they do. We hope to see you again soon!
Written 17 February 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Elke P
1 contribution
Feb 2025 • Family
We visited in February 2025 as a group of 2 adults and 4 kids aged 7-9 and had an amazing time! We traveled to Edinburgh by train and made use of the 'Kids for a Quid' train ticket to get one free child ticket for every full paying adult (admission until 11am). (up to 4 kids per adult can travel with Scotrail on the Kids for a Quid ticket). I had originally booked standard camera obscura tickets by mistake, but these were changed without any issues upon contacting customer service. (Making use of these ticket offers brought down the cost considerably.)
We spent 3 hours at Camera Obscura and had a fabulous time! We would have stayed longer, but our brains were frazzled from all the different optical illusions. The highlight was the mirror maze and vortex tunnel (which really messed with my head)! Both, parents and kids, had a blast and we would highly recommend a visit! We could easily come back to enjoy it again since it was so good. Also fabulous views from the top floor across Edinburgh! Staff were friendly and helpful during our visit.
There's a gift shop on the ground floor with reasonably priced items.
We visited during a quiet time and it never felt overcrowded in the building . However, the stairs when going to different floors in the building are narrow and it can get a bit congested at times.
We spent 3 hours at Camera Obscura and had a fabulous time! We would have stayed longer, but our brains were frazzled from all the different optical illusions. The highlight was the mirror maze and vortex tunnel (which really messed with my head)! Both, parents and kids, had a blast and we would highly recommend a visit! We could easily come back to enjoy it again since it was so good. Also fabulous views from the top floor across Edinburgh! Staff were friendly and helpful during our visit.
There's a gift shop on the ground floor with reasonably priced items.
We visited during a quiet time and it never felt overcrowded in the building . However, the stairs when going to different floors in the building are narrow and it can get a bit congested at times.
Written 27 February 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there, and thank you for rating us 5 stars! We are thrilled to hear that you and your family had a fantastic day out with us - especially enjoying our Mirror Maze and Vortex Tunnel. Our staff will be delighted to hear your kind feedback. We hope to welcome you again soon!
Written 27 February 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Bryony R
159 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
When you consider that you’ll probably spend about 90 mins inside this is an expensive attraction. It cost us more than a visit to the castle where we stayed for more than twice the time!
That said, the museum is well set out and the staff are friendly. Well behaved dogs are allowed inside and are given biscuits in the queue. Kids get stickers.
You visit the odd floors on the way up and even floors on the way down. There are a selection of modern and old fashioned illusions set out on each floor. All very interesting and well laid out with plenty of hand sanitiser available. Kids loved how hands on everything is. When you get to the roof you can see amazing views all round the city. There is also an optional camera obscura shown. This takes place in the pitch black and if you are uncomfortable at any point you can just leave. The show felt like a gimmick with no explanation of how the camera worked. In fact from talking to the lady demonstrating the camera afterwards it was clear she didn’t really have a clue. This was a real shame as I have never visited a camera obscura before and would have found this interesting.
That said, the museum is well set out and the staff are friendly. Well behaved dogs are allowed inside and are given biscuits in the queue. Kids get stickers.
You visit the odd floors on the way up and even floors on the way down. There are a selection of modern and old fashioned illusions set out on each floor. All very interesting and well laid out with plenty of hand sanitiser available. Kids loved how hands on everything is. When you get to the roof you can see amazing views all round the city. There is also an optional camera obscura shown. This takes place in the pitch black and if you are uncomfortable at any point you can just leave. The show felt like a gimmick with no explanation of how the camera worked. In fact from talking to the lady demonstrating the camera afterwards it was clear she didn’t really have a clue. This was a real shame as I have never visited a camera obscura before and would have found this interesting.
Written 6 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Bryony, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're so pleased you had a fun visit exploring our 5 floors of mind-boggling illusions and interactive exhibits! It's great to hear that you thought our staff were friendly, we will pass on your compliments to the team. Thank you for sharing your feedback about our show, our guides deliver a level of information to entertain everyone but if you would like a closer insight into the Camera Obscura, there are resources on our website. We will of course share your comments with the team to take into consideration. Thanks again for your review Bryony.
Written 7 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Voyage50915259917
2 contributions
Nov 2024 • Family
So this attraction is very expensive, but so is everything in Edinburgh! And this is good value for money. We spent two hours there, longer than at the castle! I would definitely recommend going early or late to avoid the crowds, we practically had the place to ourselves and I can imagine having to wait your turn for attractions when it is rammed would be very dull. We experienced people loudly shouting to each other across the different rooms and had a family that got separated spoil our first go round the mirror maze, and we were in the first slot of the day. The staff are friendly and helpful. There's a good range of things to see and do from 'big impact' illusions/opportunities to smaller scale stuff. My daughter was obsessed with the cameras connected to the roof that you could pan and zoom and would have stayed there all day if she could. She also loved the mirror maze. I loved the spinning tunnel - like a rollercoaster without being on a rollercoaster! The Camera Obscura itself is magical and well worth it. My grumpy husband had even warmed up to it all by the end of our visit, having been totally adamant it would be a waste of money. Go when it is quiet and spend time on the bits that you love!
Written 4 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, and thank you so much for taking the time to review us! We’re delighted to hear that you and your daughter had a fantastic visit—especially enjoying our “Eye Spy” floor and the Mirror Maze. Hopefully, our vortex tunnel didn’t leave you too dizzy! We hope to welcome you back soon.
Written 5 November 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
HappyHeartsCrochet
175 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
Myself and eldest daughter had been here before but my youngest hadn't so we visited again whilst on a trip to Edinburgh.
We only booked the night before and managed to get the time slot we wanted but they are very strict on timings and even though we attempted to get in the queue 10 mins before our slot... the queue was definitely 10 mins long... we were asked to come back at the exact time we had booked.
The staff were friendly and the Halloween trail added a little something new. As expected my girls loved it. Especially the youngesr who had never seen many of the illusions before. Although some did seem a little dated now.
The camera itself is amazing. Especially on a nice sunny day like we had. James who was leading our show was funny and friendly and engaging with the kids and adults alike. (He had checked us in and we'd bumped into him throughout the different floors).
The views from the top are probably some of the best in the city.
All in all a fun few hours to be had here. Kids loved the vortex and mirror maze
Even if it does get busy.
I don't want to spoil it for you too much so I'm not adding photos of the illusions.
We only booked the night before and managed to get the time slot we wanted but they are very strict on timings and even though we attempted to get in the queue 10 mins before our slot... the queue was definitely 10 mins long... we were asked to come back at the exact time we had booked.
The staff were friendly and the Halloween trail added a little something new. As expected my girls loved it. Especially the youngesr who had never seen many of the illusions before. Although some did seem a little dated now.
The camera itself is amazing. Especially on a nice sunny day like we had. James who was leading our show was funny and friendly and engaging with the kids and adults alike. (He had checked us in and we'd bumped into him throughout the different floors).
The views from the top are probably some of the best in the city.
All in all a fun few hours to be had here. Kids loved the vortex and mirror maze
Even if it does get busy.
I don't want to spoil it for you too much so I'm not adding photos of the illusions.
Written 30 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, and thank you so much for taking the time to review us! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your visit, especially the Camera Obscura show. James and the rest of our team will be so pleased to hear your kind words—they’re fantastic at what they do! We look forward to welcoming you back soon!
Written 31 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Colin B
Edinburgh, UK7 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
I live in Edinburgh and love this place to take my son. He loves the variety of exhibitions and all the different things to try. It is brilliant for kids. I wish we could go more often, but the ticket price is too much to do it more than once per year. I know there is a 20% discount if you arrive from 8am to 8.45am, but coming at that time is not realistic unless you live right in the city centre. I wonder if a locals discount could be offered like they do with the rides at Edinburgh's Christmas market?
Written 3 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Colin, and thank you for taking the time to review us. We are thrilled to hear that you and your son enjoyed our 5 floors of fun, and we appreciate your kind feedback! We are always looking for ways to improve our attraction, and will take your feedback on board for further discounts in the future. We hope to see you again soon!
Written 6 January 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
centralscrutiniser
Solihull, UK44 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
My kids are still raving about this place four days after we went. Absolute highlight of our visit. Worth buying timed tickets in advance as it seemed as though people were unable to buy tickets on the door. The number of tickets available seemed very civilised and it didn't feel busy at all, despite our lunchtime session being sold out. Make sure you wait for the talk in the camera obscura room itself, Isaac was a fantastic host. Edinburgh is not a city short of outstanding viewing spots but the balconys here are one of the best with great castle views and back down the mile. Out of all the places we visited in Edinburgh this will be the first one we return to.
Written 30 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're thrilled you had such a wonderful visit with your family and especially loved our stunning rooftop views! Our Camera Obscura show is a highlight for lots of our visitors so it's great to hear you enjoyed it too, and we will pass on your compliments to our brilliant guide Isaac. We can't wait to welcome you back for another visit next time you're in Edinburgh, and we hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip!
Written 1 April 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
RenaDunne
Swindon, UK9 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Fantastic family day out! We were staying in Dumfries and decided to have a day in Edinburgh. We heard so much about Camera Obscura so knew we wanted to go for the day. Honestly there was something for everyone! The booking is a very good idea because you can see how it could get very busy and there isn’t a huge amount of space. The floors are divided in such a way to avoid too many people in one section at any one time which was very well thought out! Staff were friendly, seating in areas for those who need to take a break after climbing all those stairs!! All in all a wonderful day out for myself, partner, a 13 Yo and two 8 yo!!
Written 23 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Rena, thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are glad that you and your family had a mind-blowing visit, and each found things that amazed you. It's great to hear the 5 floors of exhibitions provided lots of entertainment. We would love to welcome you back soon!
Best wishes, Rebecca
Written 24 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Waddler
York, UK12,609 contributions
May 2024 • Family
For context, Keswick is a very touristy place, and its Puzzling Place is £15 for a family of 4. Granted, it is smaller, but there's a fair bit of cross over in what they offer.
Here a family of four costs over £80. If you are a family on a budget then you may need to skip it.
It does have the camera obscura itself, which is an interesting piece of equipment, though on rainy or misty days you may not see much from it.
The kids did totally love the place, and there are some interesting attractions, hence why I've given it the score despite the cost.
For online bookings you are given a 15 minute arrival window starting at the time you book, and they will hold entry back until then for your time slot. Despite having tickets in advance, it still seemed to take 5 minutes of queuing to get in.
Here a family of four costs over £80. If you are a family on a budget then you may need to skip it.
It does have the camera obscura itself, which is an interesting piece of equipment, though on rainy or misty days you may not see much from it.
The kids did totally love the place, and there are some interesting attractions, hence why I've given it the score despite the cost.
For online bookings you are given a 15 minute arrival window starting at the time you book, and they will hold entry back until then for your time slot. Despite having tickets in advance, it still seemed to take 5 minutes of queuing to get in.
Written 6 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're so pleased you had a fun visit with your family and enjoyed exploring our hands-on illusions! With 5 floors and over 100 exhibits we feel our tickets are good value and in keeping with our location here in the heart of Edinburgh, but we're grateful for your feedback on this. Over the bank holiday weekend we were almost fully booked, so our staff tried to ensure entry times were accurate to prevent crowds. We're grateful to our visitors for being patient on these busier days. We hope you and your family visit us again in the future.
Written 7 May 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
An_Anna83
London, UK102 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
The place is full of interesting stations and exhibits, that allow children to touch, listen, explore. Some are better than others. Many of them are simple and not that engaging, especially for younger children (5-10y). The viewing terrace is nice. The location is great, also it’s a good option, if the weather is bad. The staff were friendly and welcoming. However, in my opinion it’s overpriced sadly. It cost us over £70 for a family of 4 (it we were done within an hour). It’s an interesting and enjoyable place, but not a 5* amazing experience.
Written 17 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're so pleased you had a fun visit exploring our mind-boggling illusions with your family! Our rooftop views are a highlight for lots of our visitors so it's great to hear you liked them too. With 5 floors and over 100 exhibits we feel our ticket prices are good value and in keeping with our location here in the heart of Edinburgh, but we're grateful for your feedback and will take it onboard. We will pass on your compliments to our friendly staff and hope you would consider another visit in the future.
Written 18 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Est-ce qu’il y a un horaire d’ouverture pour la terrasse panoramique ? Is there opening hours to access the Rooftop ?
Written 25 December 2024
Hi what are the prices & opening times for October half term please ?
Written 17 September 2024
Do the Discount Partner discounts have to be used the same day as the visit to Camera Obscura?
Written 18 February 2023
Beth Camera Obscura
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
No, just have your recent Camera Obscura ticket to show them.
Written 28 February 2023
Hello! I'm a hungarian university student. Can I use the student discount? (European Youth Card)
Written 4 January 2023
Beth Camera Obscura
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Hello and thank you for your question. If your youth card states you're a student, we can accept this. We would also accept a student ID card from your university if you have one.
Written 4 January 2023
My partner currently gets PIP. I am her carer but don’t currently have my carers allowance letter or card. If my partner brought her PIP award letter would that be proof enough?
Written 4 September 2022
Beth Camera Obscura
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Hi there. Yes, the PIP award letter is enough proof for our Carer discount. Thank you, we look forward to welcoming you for a visit.
Written 5 September 2022
Is there any discount for this attraction
Written 20 August 2022
Beth Camera Obscura
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Hi there, we do discounted tickets for students, seniors and carers with a valid ID. We also offer discounts for Blue light card holder and the ScotRail Kids for a Quid promotion if you're travelling by train with a child. We also offer a 10% discount to those who are visually impaired or hard of hearing. If any of these apply to you, please visit our website to learn how to arrange these discounts. Thankyou!
Written 22 August 2022
Wir wollen im Mai nach Edinburgh, muss ich zuvor Tickets für Camera Obscura kaufen?
Written 3 May 2022
You can buy tickets in advance from their website. Best to buy in advance to ensure you can get in. It does get booked up
Written 7 May 2022
Hello Claire, thanks for your question. We do recommend pre-booking during peak holiday seasons and weekends to avoid disappointment, as timeslots can get booked up in advance. All of our ticket availability can be found on our website.
Written 3 August 2021
How long does it take to go through the whole attraction?
Written 13 June 2021
Hello Nim, thanks for your question. The average visit takes about 1.5 - 2 hours. That's exploring our five floors at your own pace.
Written 14 June 2021
Hi, are you able to take pushchairs into this attraction? I have a 5 year old and 6 month old. Thanks
Written 22 May 2021
Hello there, Thanks for your question! Due to the number of stairs throughout the attraction, we recommend visitors leave pushchairs and buggies in our buggy park area inside. We offer free baby carriers to anybody with very young children to help get your little ones around the attraction more easily. For any more information, don't hesitate to get in touch.
Written 24 May 2021
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