Camera Obscura and World of Illusions

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions
4.5
Science MuseumsObservation Decks & Towers
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 9:00 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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See what travellers are saying
  • lizfreedman69
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Thankyou
    Thankyou to your caring staff member. My niece had a melt down when the lights went off in the camera obscura room. Your staff member dealt with us in caring manner. We were there on Saturday 9th sept around 1:30pm. I would like to thank him.
    Hi Liz, and thank you for your five star review. We will make sure to pass along your message of thanks to the team and hope that you and your niece enjoyed the rest of your visit exploring our five floors and over 100 interactive exhibits. Thank you for visiting.
    Written 11 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 10 September 2023
  • MrsHughes_12
    London, United Kingdom38 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good fun for all ages. Great view from roof.
    Went solo but probably best enjoyed with friends or family as some activities only work with two people but still had fun. View from roof is great. The camera obscura talk was really interesting. Staff were friendly. Avoid middle of the day as it gets v busy!
    Hello, thank you so much for your review. We are glad that you enjoyed your visit. The panoramic views of the city from the rooftop are certainly a unique aspect of our attraction, so it’s great to hear you loved it too. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!
    Written 17 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 15 September 2023
  • Go677672
    Madeira, Portugal2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Extra fun in the dark, great experience
    Nice mixture of “old” and new optical illusions. Fun. You can take a lot of pictures. We went in the evening, great tip to do so, not crowded at all and a nice extra is the extra “spooky” stories by Hannah during the camera obscura experience at the rooftop
    Hello, and thank you for your five star review. It's fantastic to hear you had a fun visit and that Hannah gave you a special Camera Obscura demonstration, we'll be sure to pass along your kind words. We'd love to see your pictures, please do tag us in them on our social media channels. Thank you for visiting and we hope you'll visit us again soon.
    Written 18 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 September 2023
  • Robyn C
    45 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    fun day out
    Went for a family day out as we were staying in seton sands for a long weekend with our toddler. This was very enjoyable. Our little boy found this entertaining, we couldn't complain that because he's under 5 he was free. Emily who did the Camera Obscura show was very good and it was very well done. The gift shop was also very good. we enjoted the crazy mirrors and the vortex and the view from the top was just beautiful.
    Hello Robyn and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're delighted you had a fun family visit with your toddler and especially enjoyed our Mirror Maze and head-spinning Vortex Tunnel! Our fascinating Camera Obscura show is a highlight for lots of our visitors so it's great to hear you loved it too, and we will pass on your compliments to our brilliant guide Emily. We hope you all visit us again soon.
    Written 19 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 September 2023
  • zoe152
    Weston super Mare, United Kingdom31 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome interactive fun.
    Fun, amazing, awesome, interactive. I am a 70 year old and enjoyed every floor. There are 6 so be prepared for stairs. The outside viewing was amazing with very powerful binoculars so you could see people walking in Princes St. I did find the camera obscura a little uninspiring but think you have to be local to enjoy this. The person that narrated this was very good. In all well worth the price I paid and it gave me lots of smiles and fun for 2 hours. Well worth going. 5*
    Hi Zoe, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're so pleased you had such a wonderful visit and found lots to enjoy on every floor! Our stunning rooftop views are a highlight for lots of our visitors so it's great to hear you loved them too. We can't wait to welcome you back for another visit soon.
    Written 19 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 19 September 2023
  • Abby T
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Camera Obscura Museum
    I visited Camera Obscura with my friends on a day trip to Edinburgh, and we all had an enjoyable experience with lots of laughs! There is 6 levels in this museum all that are interactive with brilliant effects. My favourite was the Vortex Tunnel and the Hall of Mirrors. Well worth a visit for anyone visiting Edinburgh.
    Hello Abby, thank you so much for your review. We are glad that you enjoyed your visit and that the 5 floors of exhibitions provided lots of entertainment. The Vortex Tunnel and the Mirror Maze are two of our most popular exhibits and it’s good to hear that they were some of your favourites too. We would love to welcome you back soon!
    Written 24 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 22 September 2023
  • Mobile41388977983
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic experience
    Visited with my adult daughter. Location was easy to find. Received a warm welcome with map and clear instructions. Lovely clean toilets. The experience itself was fantastic. We very much enjoyed everything the attraction offered. Views at the top were beautiful. Well worth a visit!
    Hello and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're delighted you had such a wonderful visit with your daughter and felt your experience was fantastic! Our friendly staff work hard to ensure everyone has an excellent visit so it's great to hear you received a warm welcome. We hope you both visit again soon.
    Written 25 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 September 2023
  • travelalways2479
    27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Favorite site in Edinburgh
    My 11 year old grandson absolutely loved Camera Obscura. So interactive and the talk at the top with the periscope was top notch. He loved the hall of mirrors and learning about electric current. A+
    Hello and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're so pleased you and your grandson had a fun visit and especially enjoyed our fascinating Camera Obscura show! We hope you both visit again soon.
    Written 26 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 September 2023
  • Star Wars M
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun-filled wonder at the many illusions to experience
    I went with my girlfriend and we had a really good time! I've been before but she hadn't, and I thought it was even better this time, but the mirror maze wasnt a surprise anymore! There is a large range of illusions and also has an informative side to some of them which I liked. My favorite part was the roof and all of the telescopes we can use to look at Edinburgh from the centre, as well as the rooftop talk from the staff, very interesting to hear about the history.
    Hello and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We're so pleased you had a fun visit with your girlfriend and found lots to keep you entertained! Our stunning rooftop views of Edinburgh are a highlight for lots of our visitors so it's great to hear you loved them too. We hope you both visit again soon.
    Written 27 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 September 2023
  • Oliver N
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth the visit!
    A brilliant experience in a superb location. All the staff were so friendly and it's even dog friendly. They love dogs and made ours feel special! The museum itself was fascinating and James who did our obscura show was funny and knowledgeable. I was really impressed! And the view from the top was an added bonus.
    Hello Oliver, thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are so glad that you and your dog were left amazed by the experience. The panoramic views of the city from the rooftop are certainly a unique aspect of our attraction, so it’s great to hear you loved it too. We’ll make sure that we pass your kind comments along to James too—he’ll be thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed your time with us. We would love to welcome you back soon!
    Written 1 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 30 September 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles16,562 reviews
Excellent
11,126
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Poor
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MrsV-from-P
Gloucestershire, UK401 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Family
Visited on New Year’s Eve with my kids (age 8 and 14).

Massive queue to get in, if you book online you can skip the queue so that’s something I wish I’d done! Pretty expensive to get in and a bit disappointing that you can’t buy a family ticket.

Once in there we headed for the roof where we enjoyed the stunning view, it was busy up there but you could still view the landscape from the binoculars.

The various attractions on each floor were fascinating, we all loved them! A couple of them challenged my motion sickness, fortunately there are clear signs where this might be a problem.

Overall we had a great few hours in here and would definitely recommend for families.
Written 6 January 2020
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 your review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the views from the Rooftop Terrace and that you were able to make use of our binoculars. You are correct, that during the holiday season it can get quite busy. This is why our tickets are valid all-day, so that you may come and go to make the most of your time. We are happy to know that you were fascinated by all of our illusions and that you had a great few hours interacting with the exhibits. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again soon.
Written 15 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

BC1912
50 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
Some great things to look at and read. The tunnel was good fun and really realistic, almost left you feeling dizzy.

The downside? It was packed which left you waiting around when trying to view things. Time slots with a set number of people would be much better, also there are 5 floors which means lots of steps. This could be a problem for some.
Written 11 January 2020
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 there and thank you for leaving us a lovely review. It’s fantastic to hear that you enjoyed the Vortex tunnel, glad it didn’t make you feel too dizzy! Hopefully, you also enjoyed a lot of the other exhibits. It can get a bit busy during peak times and holidays, which is why we give everyone an All-Day Ticket allowing our visitors to come and go throughout the day and return at a quieter time if it becomes too busy. We do control numbers inside the building, so there are never too many people for health and safety purposes. Fingers crossed you took some interesting and scenic pictures to remember your time with us. We look forward to welcoming you back again very soon.
Written 16 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

NottsKim
Nottingham, UK307 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
I’ve been told by many people in Edinburgh this week that it’s really quiet, but this attraction was absolutely packed. There were so really fun and interactive things to do, but they allowed so many people in it was hard to appreciate most of it.

The views from the top of that building were absolutely amazing, and there really was lots to do for all the family. All in all we were there for around 90 min

Be warned there are lots of stairs so it might be a problem with young children and a no go for anyone with mobility issues.
Written 19 February 2020
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.
Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We’re delighted to hear that you found so much to interact with and enjoy! We are a popular attraction, particularly at times such as school holidays. Accordingly, we offer an All-Day Ticket which allows you to return later in the day when it is a little quieter inside, which we hope you found useful. We also carefully monitor the number of visitors throughout the day to avoid overcrowding. It’s fantastic to hear that you enjoyed the amazing views of Edinburgh from our Rooftop Terrace, and we hope you took some amazing photos, too. Thanks once again for visiting and we hope to see you again in the future.
Written 27 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

bigtourist
England, UK70 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
My partner and I booked it as the forecast was looking wet. We didn’t know what to expect at all, but we had a great time. There’s plenty to look at and interact with, including a light tunnel and a mirror maze.

You then get up to the top where you get, what I’d probably one of the best views of the city, it was really amazing. One of the staff then talked us through a projection of the city and we learnt some facts we weren’t aware of.

We booked a slot for 9:30am and it was fairly quiet but as we were leaving (around 11am) there was a huge queue and people being turned away as they hadn’t booked a slot so make sure you book, the site is easy to navigate and simple to book.

Staff were all very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend, and it’s not just for children, adults can have fun too!
Written 7 April 2022
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, thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are glad that both of you enjoyed your visit and that it exceeded your expectations. The Vortex Tunnel and the Mirror Maze are two of our most popular exhibits and it’s good to hear that they were some of your favourites too. We’ll make sure that we pass your kind comments along to the team, too—they’ll be thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed your time with us. We would love to welcome you back soon!
Written 9 April 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ruby37
Lancashire723 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
We came here after 4pm and got a slightly reduced ticket, however we had the option of an all day ticket to come back in the morning. I loved every minute of it, everything was so fascinating. It is suitable for all ages as the exhibits can be seen in all different ways.
Lots of steps!
Written 21 January 2020
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 Ruby, thank you for your five-star review. We are ecstatic to know that you had such great fun and that you loved every minute of your time here. Our mind-boggling illusions really are fascinating and can keep people of all ages engaged and entertained. We hope to see you back again soon.
Written 22 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

OfficialTravelTaster
Northamptonshire, UK11 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
If you’re looking for a place to confuse your mind and experience some wacky science this is definitively for you! My wife and I enjoyed the whole attraction especially the Camera Obscura show with LISA she has a fantastic sense of humor and made sure everyone was engaged. I highly recommend this to families or parents with kids or even just adult couples looking for a fun activity. It can be busy in some floors than others but you can do the floors in any order you want. It’s a small attraction but you can definitely spend a couple of hours inside. Also! The view upstairs of Edinburgh was amazing!
Written 7 January 2020
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 and thanks for leaving us such a lovely review. We are delighted that you both had such a great time when you visited us recently. Lisa will be thrilled to hear that you enjoyed her show so much, we will make sure to pass on your kind comments to her. Thank you as well for sharing some of your fabulous pictures with us, we do enjoy seeing our visitors interesting and unusual photos. We do offer all of our visitors All-Day Tickets in case they would like to leave and return at quieter times. Thanks again for your review and recommendation, hopefully you will come back and see us again very soon.
Written 15 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kyle_Heron
Edinburgh, UK14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Visited Camera Obscura with friends and family, including a 2 year old and a 3 year old. There were things to do that were greatly enjoyed by both the adults and the children in the group. It is particularly impressive how many exhibits and interactive tasks are squeezed into the building, and time seems to disappear. The staff are very enthusiastic, and the views of Edinburgh and beyond from the roof at the end are spectacular. Highly recommended, and would budget a couple of hours to enjoy it without rushing.
Written 7 January 2020
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.
Thank you Kyle for leaving us such a glowing review. We too recommend around 2 hours to explore all we have to offer, and we’re thrilled to hear that time went by so quickly for you on your visit. We pride ourselves on providing many illusions for all ages, something for all the family! We hope to have you back again in the future.
Written 15 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

linziloo1234
Gosport, UK326 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
Suitable for all ages, this place is a must!

Spread across 5 floors there is lots to see and do! :-) we particularly liked the maze and the electrical section.

There is currently construction works so it can be a little noisy with lots of banging.

The top level would be better with fewer guests crammed into the small observation room HOWEVER, views from the top of the building are incredible!

5/5 from me!
Written 26 January 2020
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 Linzi, thank you for your amazing review! It’s fantastic that you found so much to keep you entertained and amused during your visit. We glad you made it through the Mirror Maze and got to explore our electrifying exhibits! It looks like you took some great photos while you were here. Hopefully, you got to capture some excellent views from the Rooftop too! We're currently doing some exciting work to one of the World of Illusions floors and adding some new wondrous exhibits that will be ready in time for Easter. We’re so delighted you enjoyed your visit. We hope to welcome you back soon, and you can see the new developments!
Written 29 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Alison D
Sleaford, UK84 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021 • Friends
Ever since I’d seen a tv programme about the Camera Obscura I wanted to visit. Knowing it used old fashioned technology for it’s fabulous 360 views of the city, I didnt expect all the additional modern attractions, which were both fun and educational about light, colour, electricity, optical illusions, and more. Having said that, the entrance fee demanded more than just a quick visit, but we spent a happy 2 hours plus there for £18 which I thought was okay value. Great photography opportunities from the top, if you have the weather.
Written 26 November 2021
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 Alison, thank you so much for the review. It’s great to hear how you heard about Camera Obscura and that you enjoyed yourself when you came to visit us for yourself. We are glad that it exceeded your expectations and that the 5 floors of exhibitions provided lots of entertainment. Thanks once again for visiting and we look forward to seeing you again.
Written 6 December 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Patty
Washington DC, DC290 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Friends
Even though this seemed like a place targeted towards kids, my friends and I were really excited to come and see everything! We came after the sunset, so we couldn’t see the camera obscura at its best. They still did a demonstration for us and we could see shadows and outlines of buildings. Every floor was so much fun, and it definitely was entertaining for us too. There were lots of opportunities to take pictures and videos. The gift shop had great souvenirs and postcards.
Written 23 March 2020
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 Patty, thank you for such a thoughtful five-star review. We are in fact very proud of being one of those special attractions that are fun for people of all ages, with indeed most of our visitors being adults, so you are not alone. The Camera Obscura does require daylight to work to its full effect, but it is great one of our guides was still able to give you a demonstration of how the Camera Obscura works. Thank you also for sharing your great photo’s. We are glad that you had such fun on you weekend in Edinburgh and we hope to see you again soon.
Written 30 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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CAMERA OBSCURA AND WORLD OF ILLUSIONS (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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