Best & Cool Science and Space Museums in Leadburn

"Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH1 2ND. Things to do at Camera Obscura and World of Illusions review. Camera Obscura and the World of Illusions is located on the Castlehill section of Edinburgh, Scotland, close to the Royal Mile and Edinburgh castle."

"Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is one of Edinburgh’s most popular and oldest tourist attractions. Located at the top of the Royal Mile, close to the castle, this museum of optical illusions is really fun and well done. It’s a great visit if you’re visiting Edinburgh with your family!"

"On Castle Hill, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions offers five floors of interactive hands-on optical illusions, tricks and fun things to do including vortex tunnel, mirror maze and shrinking room. Tickets are £12.15 for children and £15.75 for adults."

"I’ve lost count of the number of times we visited Dynamic Earth as we used to have a yearly membership. This is a fantastic place for children (and adults) of all ages. You’ll embark on a journey through time and space where you’ll learn all about our planet earth – how it evolved from the Big Bang to present day."

"You can discover how our planet evolved millions of years ago at the exciting Dynamic Earth. Let’s start with a bang as we journey through time and learn about our past, present and future with interactive exhibits and mind blowing technology. Another must for family days out."

"Anyone with a historical interest in medicine, or a taste for the gruesome, will enjoy the three medical museums collectively known as the Surgeons' Hall. They include the Wohn Pathology Museum, one of the largest collections of anatomical pathology in the world; The History of Surgery Museum, where you can learn about the history of murderers and body snatchers who provided teaching "samples" to surgeons in training; and The Dental Collection, with paintings, Japanese woodcuts, and dental instruments illustrating the development of everyone's least favorite medical profession. A highlight is the story of murderers and body snatchers Burke and Hare, who provided bodies for dissection."

"Dating back to 1726—although arguably operating since 1505—Edinburgh University’s medical school is the oldest in Britain, and one of the oldest in the Western world. The Surgeons' Hall Museums offer a particularly fascinating, if macabre, slice of the city's history. Particular oddities include a pocketbook made from the skin of William Burke, one half of the infamous Burke and Hare duo who, in the early 19th century, murdered some 16 people in order to reap the monetary rewards of delivering a cadaver to Edinburgh University for dissection."

"Housed in a grand Ionic temple designed by William Playfair in 1832, these three fascinating museums were originally established as teaching collections. The History of Surgery Museum provides a look at surgery in Scotland from the 15th century to the present day. Highlights include the exhibit on murderers Burke and Hare, which includes Burke's death mask and a pocketbook made from his skin, and a display on Dr Joseph Bell, who was the inspiration for the character of Sherlock Holmes."

"The Physicians' Gallery is a free public exhibition space which is part of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Our exhibitions are based on the wealth of historical medical material which the College has collected over the last 300 years. ‘Moonstruck: 500 years of mental health’ is our new free exhibition– opening on 14 June 2019 and running until Spring 2020"

"You don’t have to be a child to enjoy the Museum of Childhood, but it definitely is a place for the kids to go and see the toys of years past and get to try some of them out. This is the first museum of its kind that was dedicated to the culture of childhood and preserving toys and childhood culture, which also means adults will take great joy in seeing toys from their own childhoods. Of course, no one visiting would be old enough to remember playing with the Queen Anne Doll on display, as this dates back to 1740, but perhaps you remember the Peter Rabbit toy."

"If you fancy a wee trip down memory lane, head to the Museum of Childhood. Located on the Royal Mile, this quirky museum is spread across four floors and covers many eras of toys and games. It gives you an idea of playthings over the years starting from the 18th through to the 21st century."

"Mary’s Milk Bar is one of those spots where you’ll be taking photos before you even reach the doorway. Here it’s all about the freshest (and most delicious) scoops of gelato in Edinburgh, as Mary dedicates each and every morning to churning up her ever-changing flavours until 11am to ensure they live up to their soft and creamy reputation. While the outside is clearly incredible Instagrammable, the unique and unusual gelato flavours are also well worthy of a photo, too."

"Inspired by the traditional British milk bars of the 1920s and 60s, and located slap bang on Edinburgh’s busy buzzy Grassmarket, Mary’s Milk Bar is a local institution. Scoops are served depending on the weather outside. In the winter, expect gelato flavored with brandy mince pie, ricotta and baked figs and sage and chestnut (single scoops £2.50) and in the summer tea and jam, gooseberry sorbet and sweetcorn and black pepper."

"Perhaps the most “Instagram famous” on our list; Mary’s Milk Bar has been serving up incredible homemade ice cream and chocolate in the Grassmarket since 2013. Mary herself trained in Italy and is serious about her chocolate. The Milk Bar’s motto is freshness and they pride themselves on their daily changing menu, having lost count over the hundreds of flavours they’ve made over the years."

"This popular tex-mex restaurant does serve meat (sorry) but they’re also famed for their vegan pulled jackfruit burrito, made with slow-roasted, barbequed jackfruit: a sort of tropical fruit that takes on the consistency of pulled pork when cooked. The burrito also comes with spicy salsa, either black beans or pinto beans, and vegan cheese. If you don’t fancy jackfruit you can opt for a true taste of Scotland instead and try a veggie haggis burrito!"

"The Tex-Mex fast food trend was slow to arrive in Edinburgh but there are now two excellent rivals – Illegal Jack's in the south of the city and Los Cardos in the north. Illegal Jack's is a slick branded operation with the product to match. While the menu carries fajitas, nachos and tacos, it's really all about the burritos."

"Mighty and flavoursome burritos, tacos and quesadillas dominate the menu at Illegal Jack’s, which you can choose to stuff with locally-sourced haggis alongside the more traditional chicken and steak options. Cult Scottish beer brand Brewdogs washes it all down."

"I mean, what’s not to love about a ginormous, fully-loaded jacket spud?. It’s hot, it fills a big hole and you can choose the toppings to suit your mood. The classics (cheese & beans or tuna mayo) may always prevail – but we dare you to try, and not love, the epitome of fillers: Haggis, cheese & chutney (of the mango variety)."