Camera Obscura Reviews

This museum offers the visitor a unique experience you won t be able to have in another museum. You will be able to participate in different experiences, based on the concept of optical illusion. You will have a lot of fun trying to exit from the labyrinth of mirrors, get dizzy crossing the colourful and moving tunnel, spy the neighbourhood using the cameras at the museum, etc. It is a 2 hours visit that is totally worth, especially if you take into account that when you get at the fifth floor you have a panoramic view of Edinburgh and you can take astonishing photos. It is even better than going to Calton Hill. Also, the staff are all very kind and helpful.

Very well organised for dealing with covid-19. Awesome as always.

Really fun. Start with the camera obscura and the history and then have some fun in the museum!

Great place, well worth a visit as long as you are stable on your feet, very tight and steep stairs all the way through

Absolutely for everyone both young and old. Very well organised and brimming with information on every floor. Excellent visit. I would definitely go again.

Very different and interesting way to entertain yourself

Well worth a visit . Pictures to make you think and an amazing roof top viewing area .

Wherever you come across camera obscures locations it will probably vary slightly however when in Edinburgh its a must do!!! Great experience situated next to Edinburgh castle and take in the show!! Price is moderate but experience is a good couple of hours and best early or after lunch and take in a sunset if you can dependent on time of year visiting. Oh and if you can pre book to queue jump... use booking. Com, trip advisor or your guide websites if not queuing on the day expect at peak times 30 - 45 mins. Enjoy guy's n ladies!

Very nice experience. Funny, friendly and knowledgable guide. All the other attractions were nice and funny and we just had such a great time. I wouldn't suggest to go there alone.

Anyone going to Edinburgh should visit, fun and exciting, I felt very happy!

Really enjoyed the experience. The mirror maze, vortex and other illusions were excellent. The talk in the camera obscura was probably best for young children.

Great place guys. Beth was a brillant guide. Kids loved it

Should visit.. different different types of illusions..my favourite the chair which makes noises when you sit on it in different ways .also shows view of Edinburgh from a lens

The camera obscura itself is amazing but there is so much more to the venue with optical illusions, mirror mazes and illusions of many kinds. We happily spent 3 hours there with our teenage kids and could have gone back later for some more. Great views across Edinburgh in a quirky and novel way as they are projected onto a woodenen board. Really informative and entertaining guides helped to make it an exciting and interesting visit.

Views to die for and a super fun place with a nice mix of activities and hands on art/optical illusions. I wouldn t hesitate to bring people of any age here.

I think it's a little pricey for what it is but good to see if you are into illusions and interactive exhibits. A lot of the things were ruined by there being so many people, so I'd recommend people go at a less busy time.

My wife immensely enjoyed her visit.
The staff were wonderful; attentive, helpful, informative and very friendly.
They also researched dog--friendly pubs for us, made sure our dog had some water and fussed her to bits!
Nothing was too much trouble for them - credit to Edinburgh. Thank you so much.

Very well worth a visit! 6 floors of different experiences, though one of the floors was closed for renovations, so we were offered a discount for our ticket.
Our favorites were the the "perspective" room, vortex tunnel and hologram rooms.
Camera obscura itself is an amazing concept - mind blowing that it was created in 1853.
Highly recommended!

Worth a visit. The main attraction was interesting and a lot of other stuff to look at. The staff where very friendly.

Absolutely amazing. The best thing we did in Edinburgh. Mesmerising, intriguing, engaging and varied. We ran out of time!

Fantastic place to visit. 4 stars as I felt it was a bit expensive

Worth every penny, a genuine good time even in the gloomy weather we had the pleasure to meet.

Wasn't sure what to expect but this place was so much fun! Definitely worth a 'trip'

Wow!!! Experience... I just loved it... Would like to visit again, if possible
One should should really should try The Vortex Tunnel,it s awesome!!!!!!!

Amazing staff, fantastic absorbing attraction. I'll do it again if I'm back in Edinburgh

Very nice experience, for both children and adults, just outside the Edinburgh Castle. The "Camera Obscura" is something unique; even though is an attraction from '800, it' s still very impressive. Suggested.

The staff are very friendly, and the place is full of amazing stuff, definitely worth the visit.

Fantastic place to visit, kids had a great time, it's a must see.

Amazing. Spent a good few hours here. Might even bring the kids next time!!

Worth the money.. Alot of fun and interesting. Helpful and friendly staff

Amazing day out!! Perfect for family's or couples or anyone really. Loads of fun interactive activities and loads of interesting thibgs to look at. So fun.

Really great place to visit especially on a rainy day in Edinburgh. All levels had great exhibits and it was a fun spot to spend sometime away from the hustle and bustle from Edinburgh. Great views from the observation decks. Great spot for families and the kids will love all the interactive exhibits.

One of the best tourist attractions. Full of optical illusions and fun stuff. The Camera Obscura is very tricky to schedule if you actually want the best experience. It's best to visit on a very sunny day. Go early in the morning. If you are in the first or the second group you will enjoy nice view without screaming or running children and you can see the city before the sun goes too high. Take a good camera if you want pictures from the roof. (The phone is not a good camera no matter what are you thinking.)

This museum is fantastic!!! All about illusions, points of view, and perspective in a very fun and hands on sort of way. Great show as well on the top floor -- Beth, our guide -- was amazing. We had a great time. We came 3 adults, and it was wonderful. Great for kids, too!

Pretty fun, don't bother with the camera obscura though - most boring bit.

Really interactive and interesting for kids and big people!

Great little venue with some really mind boggling attractions, from the victorian cctv (as the guide put it) to the mirror maze and as for the spinning light tunnel......try to not get the feeling you're going to fall over! Go to the very top of the building on a sunny day and be treated to some stunning views over Edinburgh

A fantastic attraction. Lots of fun optical illusions and great for all ages.

Loved this place , my granddaughter went a few months ago and she insisted we take her back .... it's great that you can come and go throughout the day

Great place and great experience. There's so much to see and do, lots of interactive experiences and cool photos to take. Fun for the whole family, even the little ones. Great views of Edinburgh as well.

Really good fun, went with our 8 month old and there was loads of visual stimulus for him.

It's interesting to find in these so technological times a place which offers a view of how pleople enjoyed time, how it was done a few centuries ago. Don't miss it.

House of optical illusions. Great fun for the kids and adults. Good for spending a couple of hours esp if it's raining outside.

Interesting place, the obscura is very interesting. But expensive.

The content is great. However it was extremely busy and felt over packed. Could not really enjoy enjoy the full experience due to the cramped hurried nature of place. If I was to go back it would be at a quieter time where I could really relax and enjoy the experience.

Brilliant!! Definitely a few hours of fun, things to test your eyes as well as your brain, fully interactive. Staff are all friendly and dotted around to explain how things work.. fun for all ages.

Very interesting and quirky wee place to visit, good way to pass a couple of hours.

Amazing, well worth a visit. Adults and kids should find it interesting.

The whole place was good as the many rooms leading down the building were interesting and fun. However, the small, steep steps got very crowded, and the actual camera obscura was only 15-20 minutes long and seemed very childish and boring.
Thank goodness for the other illusions on the other floors as this redeemed the place greatly.

When I visited, it was amazing to see the reflection of some of object lights and how they work. Very interesting and cool especially with a family having a day out there plus there a top view of Edinburgh city centre, well recommended

My kids love this place. Been twice and will definitely be back.

Great exhibit of all things visually challenging. Wonderful staff and great family fun.

A great collection of illusions and activities. Probably amazing for kids. The main show was fun and entertaining. Definitely needs a nice sunny day to take the max from it.

Dont go into the Vortex if you've had a drink or nursing a hangover!

Very nice place to go with whole family, specially children, they will enjoy the visit very much. And adults have their chance to have a trip in the vortex.

Just feel this isn't the tourist attraction for me. Girlfriend loved it though, as did everyone else there. Staff were very friendly, helpful and witty, well laid out, great view of Edinburgh from the top, and some playful attractions throughout. Would recommend to families and certainly passed a good hour. Just not my favourite thing but I'm sure many would disagree.

We really liked this place.
I did think the price was rather high, but that's norm in a city, and no more exp then anywhere else. There were lots of great things inside that really make you look at the perspective of things. Our guide at the top of the camera obscura was Blaine and he was really good, had lots of little giggles and ways of making you laugh and had knowledge about Edinburgh which was handy, all staff were friendly and its nice when its like that. We loved having a look from the top for the 360 views. Fab.
Shop reasonably priced
Have to be steady on your feet as limited access for disabled but staff are so helpful. Just ask.

Great place for young and old to enjoy the fun it has to offer. From funny mirrors to the magnificent views from the roof terrace.

Prices are a little steep, but will worth every penny, especially when you can come and go all day if you like...

Staff are friendly and helpful, especially the girls who do the roof top tour, will worth making time for this bit.

What a surprise this place!! I had funny moments exploring this weird and crazy place.

Great fun few hours on a rainy day! Try go early as it can get quite crowded! All ages can enjoy it!

Great illusion like the vortex tunnel and mirror maze and also an amazing view of surrounding Edinburgh from the rooftop observatory. Would go here again.

An amazing place to visit A must for everyone to visit .

Really interesting and mind boggling place to spend a few hours. Watch out for the vortex tunnel!

An interesting place. A must visit if you have kids.

Really fun place to spend a few hours with the kids

Absolutely amazing! Would definitely go again. It's a fun activity for kids and adults alike, and in fact it made this adult feel like a kid again. A bit pricy but worth it, especially for the mirror maze!

Brilliant! One of, if not the best attractions in Edinburgh. Lots of things to see and really great with kids - and definitely worth the price!

It was a nice experience. Loved the vortex tunnel and Mirror maze. It takes around 1.5 hrs to cover.