Museum on the Mound
0.22 miles
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is Edinburgh's oldest attraction and have been amazing visitors with a combination of over 100 optical illusions and breath-taking rooftop views for 175 years!
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, they 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.
If you are looking for Best Museums and Art Galleries in Edinburgh , Edinburgh and Lothian then you can visit Camera Obscura and World of Illusions. Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is one of the places in Edinburgh Edinburgh and Lothian for day out with kids and families. If you are searching for Landmarks and Attractions near me, then you can get all the information here.
The Camera Obscura Show: A dark room. A large table. A beam of light. When you walk into the special rooftop chamber, things seem pretty straightforward. But wait...An image of Edinburgh appears on the table. The narrow closes of the Old Town. The wide open streets of the New Town. What happens next is like nothing you’ve seen before. The Camera Obscura uses daylight and reflections to project a live image internally onto a table within a dark chamber. In daylight hours, your guide will take you on a live tour, showing off some of the city’s best landmarks. After dark or in poor weather, they offer a fantastic projection show, showing-off the same magnificent views observed from the Camera Obscura, with footage recorded from the very top of our tower during daylight hours.
Rooftop Terrace: High above this World Heritage Site, the Rooftop Terrace offers a blockbuster panorama of Edinburgh’s famous attractions. It’s an unbeatable vantage point, unless you’ve packed a hot air balloon in your suitcase. The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, the Firth of Forth – all your favourites are here. Now get even closer. Use the telescopes to take in the view – they’re completely free. These powerful beauties will swoop you right down to the action on Princes Street Gardens, or all the way up to Arthur’s Seat. And that’s the Kingdom of Fife you can see to the north. Take it all at your own pace, high above the Royal Mile’s crowds and queues.
Magic Gallery: The Magic Gallery houses some of the most electrifying exhibits, a great variety of cool optical illusions and hands-on, interactive experiences. Like every aspect of your visit, it's also great fun! The Magic Gallery Plasma Tubes and Globes bring electricity right to your fingertips. You can literally light up the room by using your hands to connect our giant Plasma Ball to a light tube on the wall. Don't worry if you feel the spark as a tiny shock - it's a very small current, which is quite safe. Explore classic optical illusions including maddening magic eye pictures and mind-bending mirrors. Become a 'big head' with the giant lens. Swap noses and heads with your friends, or shake hands with yourself. Don't miss the Shadow Wall, which captures your shadow in a flash!
Light Fantastic: Light Fantastic is a filled with interactive fun, tricks, and illusions – many unique to Camera Obscura. They’ll mess with your mind (in the best possible way) as your eyes are fooled by brilliant visual effects.Start your journey with brand-new Kaleido Tunnel, a fantastic array of light and reflections. Stand opposite someone and count how many versions of them you can see! Next up is a selection of holograms, an amazing set of unique, 3D images ready to come to life before your eyes. Step into a world of colour at Colour Shadow Wall, to see yourself reflected into mutli colour. Are you a musical maestro? Beam out a song with Light Harp, and see the notes light up as you tap out a tune.The Ames Room is a brilliant piece of trickery, which can shrink and grow you instantly; a great photo opportunity for the whole family. Once you’ve returned to your original size, you can try the Severed Head. This clever illusion makes it look as if your head is being served for dinner, a wacky photo might upset the relatives!
Eye Spy Edinburgh: See Edinburgh from a different vantage point. Discover Victorian and 3D cityscapes alongside viewcams, powerful modern cameras showcasing the city in real time. Get interactive and use cameras and mirrors to view yourself and the world around you in a new way. You can zoom in on the very small with marvellous microscopes and make sure to see your reflection in the Victorian bendy mirrors, which are almost impossible to look at without laughing. Once you travel through the Infinity Corridor you’ll find a fascinating display of photos of old Edinburgh, showing what life was like when the Camera Obscura first opened in the 1850s, a fascinating insight into how the city has changed.The Thermal Camera offers you the chance to see just how hot, or cold you are and the gallery also houses the Singing Cats, and other wonderfully detailed automata. There are also lots of tricky optical illusions to keep you on your toes.
Bewilderworld: Immerse yourself in Bewilderworld, a collection of the most popular, biggest and most fun illusions. A scramble for the senses, which will leave you feeling fully bewildered! Make sure to take pictures, they’ll be the most unusual souvenirs to share with friends. Lose yourself in the magical Mirror Maze, a bamboozling jumble of hallways that seemingly stretch for miles. Will you make it to the other side? Get ready for a mystifying, turning, tilting, twisting, crazy experience like no other! The Vortex Tunnel is a highlight of any visit. This discombobulating spinning tunnel will confuse and baffle all ages. Can you walk through without losing your balance?
Price: Paid
Price Details
Admission Prices 2022:
| Ticket Type | Price | |
| Adult | £18.95 | |
| Student (with ID) | £16.95 | |
| Senior (65+) | £16.95 | |
| Child (5–15 years) | £14.95 | |
| Under 5s | Free |
For latest price update, deals, offers, discount codes, please check the website as below:
Offer Birthday Parties: No
Current Opening Hours:
Mon–Thur: 9.00am – 8.00pm
Fri & Sun: 9.00am – 9.00pm
Sat: 9.00am - 10.00pm
Seasonal Opening Hours:
3 - 27 May: Mon-Thu 9.00am - 8.00pm, Fri & Sun 9.00am - 9.00pm, Sat 9.00am - 10.00pm
28 May - 5 Jun: 8.00am - 10.00pm
6 - 25 Jun:
Mon-Thu 9.00am - 8.00pm
Fri & Sun 9.00am - 9.00pm
Sat 9.00am - 10.00pm
26 - 30 Jun: Every day 9.00am - 9.00pm
1 Jul - 4 Sep: Every day 8.00am - 10.00pm
School Holidays:
30 Apr - 2 May: 8.00am - 10.00pm
1 Jul - 4 Sep: 8.00am - 10.00pm
Address: Castlehill, 549 Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Edinburgh and Lothian, EH1 2ND, Scotland
Post Code: EH1 2ND
Council: Edinburgh
County: Edinburgh and Lothia
By car: There’s no parking on the Royal Mile. The nearest car parks are:
Parking charges apply.
By Foot: Edinburgh’s a brilliantly compact city. So the easiest way to reach us is to walk. We’re in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, so stroll up the Royal Mile, Ramsay Lane or Johnston Terrace while enjoying some of the city’s most famous sights. We’re at the top on the right-hand side, just before the castle.
By train: The nearest station is Edinburgh Waverley, 10 minutes’ walk away. You can get the most up-to-date train times and tickets from The Trainline.
By bike: The nearest bike parking is at West Parliament Square, near the National Library of Scotland on George IV Bridge and in the Grassmarket. These and more options can be found on Open Street Map. Bike parking is shown with a small blue square.To help plan your route to see us visit Edinburgh Cycle Streets.
By bus or tram:
By taxi:
Most of the time, you will be dropped off right outside our doors.This street is occasionally closed for events at the castle. If this is the case, you will be dropped off on the Royal Mile at the bottom of Castlehill, two minutes’ walk away. You can pre-book a taxi with City Cabs or Central Taxis who will be happy to help you.
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