See & Do

Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, Edinburgh

Attraction

Hightlight

Dog Friendly
Family Friendly

Visit Camera Obscura and World of Illusions where seeing is not believing! Britain’s most fun attraction and fun for all ages.

With five floors and over 100 interactive, hands-on exhibits, we have something to entertain all ages. Tour Edinburgh’s streets without moving. Test your brain against mind-bending illusions. Take spectacular city scape photographs from our Rooftop Terrace. It’s all part of the Camera Obscura & World of Illusions experience.

You’ll need at least two hours to discover it all! A swirling light vortex; a maze of mirrors; a chance to swap noses with a friend; see yourself grow, shrink and stretch; play eye-spy with our city viewcams; and mess with your mind with brilliant visual effects.

Situated just a stone’s throw from Edinburgh Castle, at the top of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile, come and discover the first ever purpose built visitor attraction in Edinburgh, in operation since 1853, and see history and modern marvels together under one roof.

Feel free to leave us a message…we want to hear from you!

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Opening Hours

Monday: 8:30 - 22:00

Tuesday: 8:30 - 22:00

Wednesday: 8:30 - 22:00

Thursday: 8:30 - 22:00

Friday: 8:30 - 21:00

Saturday: 8:30 - 22:00

Closed

Sunday: 8:30 - 22:00

Video

FAQ's

How long does a visit take?

Most people find it takes about one hour and 45 minutes to get around all our attractions. Go at your own pace and spend as long as you like enjoying the illusions.

Can I book tickets online?

Yes. You can book a date and time slot for entry on our 'Book Now' page. We'll be monitoring the number of visitors carefully throughout the day, and capacity per time slot will be limited to guarantee that everyone gets the very best experience. Please note: we do not currently work with any 3rd party websites selling our tickets, so please ensure you only buy tickets directly from our website. If you have already purchased tickets from someone else, please contact them for a refund.

Can I buy a ticket on arrival?

Yes, if we have spaces available, you can buy tickets on the day at our front desk. However, we would recommend booking online in advance for guaranteed entry and to avoid disappointment.

What ages are the attractions suitable for?

All ages. From babies to grandparents, everyone loves Camera Obscura. There’s something for everyone, even those that are hard to impress. The proof? Parents of teenagers often tell us we were the highlight of their family’s Edinburgh trip.

Can I store my luggage during my visit?

Is there a lift?

Our wonderful 17th-century building is listed by Historic Environment Scotland so for the timebeing, we are a stairs-only attraction. We hope to find a way to make it more accessible in future. Please contact us if you have any questions about access – we’ll do everything we can to help.

What’s the best time to visit?

Can I bring my pet?

We pride ourselves on being a pet-friendly attraction and can provide water bowls you can take around with you to maintain your pet's comfort and wellbeing. We offer all our furry friends a treat of a dog or cat biscuit on arrival. Dogs must be on a short leash at all times and well behaved during their visit. Cats must be on a leash or in a carrier at all times. We recommend calling ahead to let us know you're bringing your cat.

Google Reviews

Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

4.614949 reviews

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Derek Semple

3 weeks ago

Awesome experience. Booked a ticket for me and my niece for 6pm , where you get a free child’s place if you purchase a kids for a quid ticket. Arrived at 5pm and Oscar at the door advised it was OK to go in early as it wasn’t too busy. 6 floors of awesomeness. Also a big shout out to Hannah who led the camera Obscura presentation at the 6th floor. Thank for a great day out.

Chloe Halligan

a month ago

Such a lovely experience and for someone solo travelling the staff were more than happy to help out with photos! The staff are very friendly and have great banter with the customers. The views were incredible and well worth the price. It’s very family friendly and each floor is bursting with fun filled spaces to explore.

Hafsa A. (Deeyah)

a month ago

We had a great time here, it was so much more fun than we expected - Matthew was our guide for the camera room, he was funny and charismatic. The galleries were absolutely hilarious (especially the vortex tunnel)! Definitely recommend a visit.

Connor McDonald

4 weeks ago

Excellent place for a family visit. 6 floors of fun to be had. The wait to get in was pretty much non-existent due to booking online. Loved the top floor with the history of the camera obscura. The man who greeted, Isaac was excellent. When he was giving the show at the top he was super outgoing and really seemed passionate about his job so a special mention for him.

Neil Low

3 months ago

Took the grandkids and had a fabulous day . School holidays so the place was busy with bairns enjoying all the exhibits. I tried to go through the walkway with the spiral lights but my mind had me upside down in seconds 🙃. So much to see and do but you get a stamp on your hand and can get readmitted. Gift shop had the usual tourist tat. Plenty interactive things to get involved in. Tickets were booked in advance .