Scottish National Gallery. The Scottish National Gallery is not only free, it’s also located right in the center of city so it’s easy to just pop in whenever you need a break from busy Princes Street or if you need to escape the frequent rain showers. The gallery is somewhat low-key and on the small side which allows for a quick and relaxed visit. The pieces on display are mostly European paintings (197 of them), dating from the 13th century to the 20th century. There are big names in the Scottish National Gallery, including Constable, Rubens, Poussin, Goya, and Rembrandt, but their works are not necessarily the ones that get the most attention from visitors. Instead, the artworks that seem to catch people’s eyes are "Lady Agnew of Lochnaw" by John Singer Sargent; "The Monarch of the Glen" by Sir Edwin Landseer; "Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch" by Sir Henry Raeburn; and the magnificent and powerful "Saint Bride" by John Duncan. [...]
The Writers’ Museum. You don’t need to have read Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson to enjoy the Writers’ Museum which celebrates the three most famous Scottish wordsmiths with a collection of portraits, books, personal objects, and more that tell the writers' life stories and how they came to create world-famous works. The faux-medieval, 19th-century building in which the museum is housed is typical of the city, with a turret and a lugubrious air that will transport you straight into the past. Located just off Lawnmarket, the large and busy street that leads to the castle, the Writers’ Museum is a great place to take refuge for a quiet afternoon. Makars’ Court, in front of the museum, is paved with stones where the names of Scotland’s most famous literary figures are inscribed. [...]
National Museum of Scotland [...]
Museum of Childhood [...]
Museum Collections Centre [...]
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