The Royal Mile is the backbone of Edinburgh’s Old Town — the historic street running from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the volcanic plug to the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the bottom, and along its length cluster some of the finest small museums in Britain, each one offering a window into a different aspect of Scotland’s extraordinarily rich history. You could walk the Royal Mile in 15 minutes without stopping, but to do so would be to miss the point — the Mile is a museum in itself, and the collections housed along it reward a day of exploration, preferably on a dreich (grey, drizzly) day when the atmospheric closes and wynds feel like stepping into a time machine.

Quick Facts: Royal Mile Museums, Edinburgh

• Edinburgh Castle: The obvious starting point — the crown jewels of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, and the panoramic views from the battlements. Book ahead — it is Scotland’s most-visited attraction
• The Scotch Whisky Experience: Just below the castle. A barrel ride through the whisky-making process and a tasting. Tourist-oriented but genuinely educational
• The Writer’s Museum: Housed in Lady Stair’s House, a 17th-century building in Lady Stair’s Close. Dedicated to Scotland’s three great literary figures: Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Free. Small but wonderful — Stevenson’s riding boots and Burns’ writing desk are the highlights
• The Museum of Childhood: The first museum in the world dedicated to childhood, opened 1955. A joyful, slightly unnerving collection of toys, dolls, games, and costumes from across the centuries. Free
• The People’s Story Museum: In the Canongate Tolbooth (1591) at the bottom of the Mile. The story of ordinary Edinburgh people — work, leisure, protest, and daily life — told through objects and oral history. Free. One of Edinburgh’s most underrated museums
• The Museum of Edinburgh: Next door to the People’s Story. The story of the city from prehistory to the present in a beautiful 16th-century mansion. Free. The collar and bowl of Greyfriars Bobby — Edinburgh’s most loyal dog — are here
• The Palace of Holyroodhouse: At the foot of the Mile. The King’s official residence in Scotland, with the ruins of Holyrood Abbey and the chambers where Mary, Queen of Scots witnessed the murder of her secretary David Rizzio
• The Museum on the Mound: Just off the Royal Mile on The Mound. The history of money, banking, and the financial system — housed in the magnificent Bank of Scotland headquarters. Surprisingly fascinating, and you get to see what a million pounds looks like. Free

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