Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

Although it's not the cheapest place to visit, it offers great value. All the illusions, art, and interactive exhibits in there are brilliant, from the bottom floor to the roof. The show on the roof was fantastic; Duncan was our guide and he explained everything wonderfully. He was also very funny, which was great, as I think humour is one of the most important things. My favourite illusion is the walk-in spiral on the second floor. It took us about two and a half hours to explore the entire museum. I recommend buying tickets in advance on their website because otherwise you'll have to wait in a long queue. I also recommend choosing an early time slot because there are fewer people, which makes it easier to take pictures, walk around, and view everything. Overall, it's a fantastic place if you love science and hands-on illusions.

If you are visiting Edinburgh with kids, this place is absolutely worth a stop. The ticket price is a bit on the high side, but in my opinion it is money well spent. Every floor is filled with mind bending and bizarre exhibits that keep you guessing how on earth they work. It is fun for kids and adults alike. The outdoor observation deck at the top offers some fantastic views of the city, and the short 15 minute presentation is well worth attending. It gives a nice overview of the attraction’s history and highlights Edinburgh itself. Staff were friendly, welcoming, and happy to help. I would recommend booking tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line. One small tip: if you see couches inside the exhibits, think twice before sitting down. You might be in for a surprise. Don’t say I didn’t warn you 🙂

This was our first visit and it did not disappoint. My 4 year old absolutely loved it as did myself. So much fun for all ages and a good work out walking up all those steps to the top. But worth it for the view. We had a lovely girl called Helen give us our wee tour and she was fantastic. We pre-booked for the 10am slot which I would recommend. It was so quiet and also low sensory for the kids. They were even given backpacks full of items to keep them entertained. Brilliant idea.

I’ve been to a few ‘illusions’ establishments in my time & have to say Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura is amongst the best of them. The illusions are fun. The Camera Obscura itself isn’t mind blowing by modern standards, but if taken for what it is as an historic artifact, is nonetheless interesting. The only downsides to this place are the costs of entry (expensive imo), the lack of a lift (the place has five floors), and a couple of the hand sanitiser dispensers were empty. Bearing in mind the amount of hands that prod & poke all the interactive bits in here, not good. Overall though, we enjoyed our visit.

Loved this place ! Gets busy so remember to book in advance. 6 floors all with different themes. Take your time, allow about 2hrs as you may need to queue for some attractions. Make sure you do the talk at the top floor at your allocated time. The stuff they were doing in the 1800s will blow your mind !!!!

This was such a blast, we had a genuinely good time and were laughing nonstop! Seriously, the whole experience was super engaging and fun. And wow, the scenery from the highest point was absolutely breathtaking. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for some good laughs and incredible views. We definitely made some great memories here!

Was visiting Edinburgh for a mini break. Nipped here as its one of the many places to visit. We went in not long before closing time so there was no wait time. We did book tickets online along with a visit time. There are 4 floors of things to see with illusions of light and sight with lots of interaction. The view from the top is an amazing view of the city, was better for us as it was night!

Oh how fun it was. We absolutely loved visiting camera obscura. Make sure you have plenty of time and check out all the activities. I'd recommend going early or late in the day. Can get very busy and then it's not as pleasant and needing to queue for things.

Pretty cool with or without kids, stunning views from atop. Multilevel, nice gift shop and opens up next to the Edinburgh Castle. Book ahead, we had to purchase tickets and wait another two hours to get in.

We came to Edinburgh for the Taylor swift concert and wanted to do some exploring. My 13 year old daughter and her friend made it clear they didn't want to do any sightseeing so we looked for fun activities that appealed to teens...and came across this. We found this to be a fun way to kill 90 minutes in this cool city. There's all sorts of rooms with optical illusions, but you also get to enjoy amazing views of Edinburgh on the rooftops. The girls seemed to enjoy, although the favorite part was probably the last room which included some a mirror maze and something that made me super dizzy. Recommended for kid/teen fun!

Overall this is an interesting place to explore and has a number of attractions on different floors in addition to the main attraction which is the camera obscura. I recommend if your main interest is the camera itself go during daylight on a sunny day, you will see how accurate this camera is but as it gets dark it becomes more difficult to see things. I felt it was a bit overpriced for what the overall experience. Recommend enjoying the views from the top floor as well!

I knew what camera obscuras were but I had never seen one in real life so I had Camera Obscura and World of Illusions in the top 5 things to do in Edinburgh. Luckily enough, I didn't realize you had to book tickets to the castle so early in advance so we had nothing to do and booked tickets for the next entry here. We entered a bit early, they are very strict about entry times which makes sense given the small reception area. The person at the door was kind though and let us wait in the gift shop about 9 min to our entry time. And even if this felt like a hassle (which it actually wasn't) I appreciate it because it means that there are less people inside and you can actually interact with the exhibits. Each floor had a different theme and there was something to do and see everywhere. I did miss some of the interactions because people don't care about other peoples experiences anymore but thankfully we still got to see and do a lot. The best part of this place is the top floor and the camera obscura. It's fascinating and well worth the trip up so many stairs. The views up here are gorgeous as well. I'd suggest staying on the ground level and not going up on the platform if you want to see well.

Over 100 illusions and a rooftop terrace with spectacular 360° views of Edinburg. There were five floors of interactive, hands-on, optical illusions, tricks and fun things to do including vortex tunnel, mirror, maze, and the shrinking room.

Entertaining and fun for kids. The camera obscura is neat and enjoyed the presenter's storytelling, but if you've been to any science museums some of the illusions aren't that new or interesting, and unlike museums not much explanation to the why of the illusions. Some items are no more than magic eye posters on the wall which makes one question the admission cost. Appreciated the level of cleaning the staff was doing, as items and areas can be high touch. They were sanitizing displays constantly.

We really enjoyed this experience, especially the little show in the rooftop tower. We had an excellent host :)

A fun multi-level building, full of illusions to entertain, with the camera obscura up top at the viewing level. Thanks, CO, for a good morning of family entertainment.

This was my first time at Camera Obscura and it was super fun! I think a couple hours over one visit is plenty of time to see and interact with everything, especially if you're looking for indoor things to do in Edinburgh. We did the demo of the Camera Obscura which was pretty fun, so don't miss out on it upstairs on the rooftop (i don't think they did a great job of telling us that was an option). There were so many cool things to do and try out, it was very hands-on and there were lots of great photo ops throughout the many floors. Note that there are a lot of stairs and I'm not sure if there's an elevator, but they did have bag/coat storage downstairs by the ticket booth. I can imagine this is a great place to go with kids, but we were two 32-year olds and still had a great time. Definitely recommend!

Even though nothing really changes about it, I find myself coming to Camera Obscura every time I come to Edinburgh with someone new (granted, I wouldn't come back just myself, but watching your friends experience it for the first time is pretty fun). I've just never seen anything like it: and, I love that it allows and encourages adults to let their inner kid out to play! (To be honest, some of the biggest laughs I've heard while here have been from groups of adults more than the kids they're with). There can be a lot to do and see and read here, so pay attention and explore every nook and cranny. This really is a world of illusions that you get to immerse yourself in and be interactive/hands-on with! It's a PERFECT way to spend several hours out of the cold/wind/rain. Admittedly, the mirror maze can be a bit of a let down because you can see people's hand prints on the mirrors (which kind of helps you find the way out relatively easily) -- that's WHY they provide gloves, everyone, so PLEASE wear them! The Vortex Tunnel gets me everytime no matter what, but I still go through it like a dozen times. Be sure to take some time to go up to the Roof Terrace - it's got spectacular views of the entire city - and pretty interesting info cards where you can read all about the history of Edinburgh (and, of course, schedule a time to go into the room with the camera obscura [which is well over 150 years old!]).

Quite wonderful time. I've been once on a solo trip and once with my family years later, which included a 2 year old. Fun all around. Both times. Thanks

I really enjoyed Camera Obscura Edinburgh for a number of reasons! Their exhibits on each floor were delightful and entertaining. A strong *majority* of them were cool and *not* cheap (which nobody wants). The rooftop of Camera Obscura not only boasts the main attraction itself - it also has one of the better views of the city! A huge added bonus! I was really impressed with how much there was to do and see in this 6-floor exhibit. You will be too when you visit! Don't miss it!

A lot of fun especially on rainy days. There are six floors and at the top is a great view of the city. There are a lot of interesting visual exhibits with optical illusions and hands-on experiences. Staff was extremely friendly and be sure to sign up for a show they have here on the top floor.

We have been to Camera Obscura before and it is as great as ever. The attraction remains an amazing array of optical illusions in a still working 1850s tourist attraction. This remains right at the top of any science museums or any Edinburgh attractions. It is a must visit. And the Camera Obscura itself is open again.

This place was a great addition to a UK trip! It was very entertaining and added lots of fun laughs to a vacation. It is additionally in a great location! Highly recommend.

Came here with a friend and bf. Lots of fun as there's many different things to just see and it was all so interesting, all three of us enjoyed it although it's best to go when it's not so busy inside as you can't see things properly when others are looking as well. But I'm leaving a review as to thank Emilie who showed us how the camera worked as she gave off a brilliant presentation with enough enthusiasm to keep us entertained. She explained it really well all while giving in a few jokes which made it a blast. So thank you Emilie

We had a such a great time at Camera Obscura, it's so fun, interesting and interactive. My niece loved the Vortex tunnel and the Mirror maze, I loved the optical illusions and the roof terrace with its Panoramic views. The staff are outstanding, I mean they are soo friendly and enthusiastic and funny, Archie at reception, Amy who hosted the show, she's hilarious and Scott the cashier at the shop who patiently listened to my nieces ramblings, well done you! We would definitely recommend visiting camera Obscura, we will be back for sure!

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is one of the coolest place I visited during my trip in Edinburgh. The museum is open until late 19:00, my partner and I managed to get here before they closed. The price of ticket of this place is acceptable. They even gave us a discount, since when we were here, the sky already went dark. The view wasn't as amazed as in the day time. We went up to the top of the building to have a look anyway. We could see the Princes street garden and the xmas market at night, we could also see the castle from there. Well, I sure the view in the day time will be more amazing. But we enjoyed the view at night. We checked out this place from the top, there are many interesting things inside, each floor got their very own unique collection. I like those cool paintings which moves, the cameral catch the shadow, tricky mirrors, the stars way, many other objects to be interacted, playing and learning at the same time. The Tunnel with the moving lights, that was really a fun experience. I went thought it couple times, felt quite dizzy after but still fun. The gift shop is near the exit. we really like our time here, it was fun. I think it's worth to pay a visit at this place.

In the 60's I visited the Camera Obscura when it was JUST the Camera on the roof. What a change in this century. Then again, what a change in the price but was it worth it????? Even as an oldie, the answer is YES. We arrived, having pre-booked online (even us oldies can use a 'puter lol). On arrival the friendly reception staff booked us into a camera viewing in 25 minutes. They advised we looked around the 5th floor while we waited. Going up, and seeing what lay ahead for a few hours was eye opening. But we made it to the roof and awaited the camera while we looked out over Edinburgh. What a sight from this height. Called to enter the camera by a young man who was so enthusiastic, a great guy. The lighting dimmed and the projection was outstanding, taking into account the years since it had been built. The young guy explained everything in a way that even the young kiddos could understand and, of course, he had the youngsters in the palm of his hands. Especially when he handed out bits of paper for the youngsters to 'swat' the people on the ground. The young guys name was Andrew a fun guy. He did say his name was Andrew if reviews were good, otherwise it was Esmerelda. Now the real fun for the kids started. OK 70 year old kids. We loved it, so much fun and, in some cases, education. The holographic images were fantastic especially as I was one of the first scientists to research into holography in the late 50/60s in the UK. As for the illusions. Look at the photographs they will explain so much. A fantastic few hours spent and I would say worth every penny for a family. Especially if it raining outside.

If this exhibit was marketed towards families with kids 12 and under, I would not have gone and hence would not be giving it 1 star. There were 2-3 cool exhibits, but not worth 32 pounds for 2 of us. The exhibits were mostly boring, broken and the finale (the sixth floor exhibit) was excruciatingly boring. Camera Obscura people, PLEASE let people know this is geared towards kids or families with youngsters.

This place is just plain fun - not just for the kids, but for the adults as well! Plenty of interactive illusions to mess with your senses, and plenty of opportunities to get some great photos of your family and friends interacting with the exhibits! With all the historical and cultural things to see and do, it was nice to go through this "museum" and just have fun!

Brilliant wee day out. Entry £14.50 for an adult which entitles you to pop in and out as manytimes you want during the day. There is 6 floors to climb to reach the camera obscura and viewing deck so worth baring in mind if you have mobility problems. Stunning views over edinburgh and we were lucky to visit on a clear day. Lots of hands on gadgets to play with and explore. Definitely worth a visit when in the area!

I have to be honest...I did not want to go here! It was on my fiance's list of things to do and I tried to get him to cut it out and he was insistent. Well...Shhhh. Don't tell him I said I was wrong! This place was beyond awesome. We spent way more time here than I had planned and had so much fun being goofy. The "camera" itself is a must. The host was amazing and friendly and fun. She made what could have been boring and quick, quirky and awesome. The rest of the museum we took lots of goofy pictures and looked at everything! We played with all the exhibits and even "got married" by a robot machine. This place is good for all ages. Our date was perfect here and even two adults could have a blast with no kiddos. Keep in mind that they have no lift, it is stairs all the way to the top of 6 floors. But you can stop each level on the way and it makes it easier! The bad reviews for this place actually make me sad. If you go planning on being silly and having some fun you will have a blast. If you don't want to take illusion pictures and play then you will be bored and waste your money. Be a kid, go play and be silly. It is worth it!

Its okay...probably way overpriced for what they offer. I paid $69 (US dollars) for a family pass. Its definitely different. Its kind of like going to an overpriced Ripley's Believe it or Not. They offer a money back guarantee. So, if you don't like it and are brave enough to ask for a refund, because it wasn't up to par; that option is available.

If you have no idea what a camera obscura is, google it. It is mad cool. This place is 4 floors of fun, a floor of gift to buy, and a beautiful rooftop with the camera obscura. You go from top to bottom and are given a mini tour of Edinbrugh while at the top. The 4 floors are all optical illusions to play with. Go with a friend! There are a ton of things to do together.

Probably the most fun we had whilst on our trip to Edinburgh! This place is fantastic for children and adults alike, it really lets the big kid inside of you out. Every floor of the museum is packed with fun and quirky things to do and see, you could literally spend hours upon hours fiddling with everything. My fiancé and I went and had a really good laugh - it was like our childhood had been revived. My only quibble is the price - if you were to go as a family it would really hit your pocket. But that said it is really worth a visit. I think children would love this place! I highly recommend, definitely a must see. Also the views from the top are breath taking! Please note this museum is not wheelchair/disabled friendly. There are a lot of stairs and no lift.

Worth the £15! It's 6 floors of interactive stiff. The top floor, where Camera Obscura is, had a deck that gives you views of the city you can't find anywhere else. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Super fun with friends and kids. No elevator though, so keep that in mind.

Love it! Lots of different ways to enjoy your selfs with camera's, mirrors, light and darkness, 3d technologies, windows, optical illusions all over the building. The Camara Obscura is on the top of the building and there are museum guards who can show you what the camera can do and what you (can) see!! Historical: this camera obscura is the oldest attraction in Edinburg: opened in 1835.

A great stop nearby the Edinburgh castle. It's 5 floors and not the largest, but contains a lot of fun things to mess with and ponder on. Start at the top for the camera obscura "show" then visit each floor coming back down. Each floor is a different theme.

Great for the WHOLE family!! And I do mean WHOLE. At first, my husband and I thought 'oh this is just something for the kids'. But it ended up that the wife - me - really enjoyed it!!! No wonder they say if you're not amazed you will get your money back guaranteed! Definitely a must if you're on your way to view the Edinburgh Castle. Also be sure to check out the performance at the end, at the very top of the building. It is worth your 15 minutes!! Enjoy!

Camera Obscura just about sums up all that is touristy about Edinburgh. First of all, the location. A full five floors looking out over princes street and surrounding area located on the royal mile just down from the castle - its as good a spot as a tourist spot can get. Then theres the contents of the place itself - its a selection of odd and pretty mindblowing optical illusions and various distorting mirrors. More amazingly, theres the views from the tops - I know I have mentioned it before, but frankly, this is what you came here for. A fellow reviewer suggested starting at the top with the views and work down - i disagree, work your way to the top, to the climactic finish. You may be dissapointed otherwise. Camera Obscura is pretty expensive, and very touristy - but it is one of the tourist places I would happily go myself.

A must do when visiting Edinburgh, it is great for all ages but I think children would be the most impressed. Some of the interactive machines are a little dated as well as the interior but it was still a good experience and very entertaining for a few hours.

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 wife and I went to the camera obscura on a short weekend trip. We had been to the camera obscure in Greenwich,London before, so we thought it was going to be similar. However, the experience in Edinburgh was much better! You are given a timed entrance to the camera obscura itself, which consists of a short 20 minute 'show' narrated by a live person. They explain the history of the camera obscura, the mechanics/physics of how it works, and also give some history on Edinburgh. Our narrator was engaging and informative. During our show there was a young child who was not the quietest or most cooperative, but the person running the show was extremely professional and worked towards getting the child engaged in the presentation. In addition to the show, there are 4 floors of various kinds of illusions. I don't want to ruin any of them for you, but I had a great time. I'm a neuroscientist, so often I find illusion exhibits a bit boring just because I've seen them all before, but there was plenty to see that even I hadn't come across. I highly recommend a trip to the camera obscura, especially if you have kids.

We visited Camera Obscura on our honeymoon (nearly 10 years ago) and really enjoyed it, but I could remember very little about it to be honest. So, now we live in Edinburgh, we needed to get around to going again, and a visiting friend was the perfect excuse. The experience gets off to a great start with the desk staff who were friendly and chatty to us, and talked us through our options, while stamping our hands (free re-entry throughout the day/as long as you don't wash for). The told us when the next showing of the actual camera obscura was, and recommended we make our way up to the 6th floor in plenty of time. Boy howdy that's a lot of climbing! But as with all these things, the view is immediately worth the climb. 5th floor has an observation balcony which will keep you plenty occupied while you wait to enter the dark room! Yup - "Dark Room" is the literal translation of "camera obscura" (I know facts me!). The member of staff giving the talk has obviously been doing it all day (and for many years) and yet everything was presented to us as fresh and exciting - for kids and adults alike. I won't spoil any of the patter, but it makes the entry price worth it alone. After the camera we made our way down, exploring 5 floors of optical and light illusions. Warning to arachnophobes - there is a 3D holographic tarantula. It is warned and signposted so make sure to read and you can avoid it. Other than that highlights for me included the maze of mirrors (which we would have solved much quicker if my husband hadn't deliberately misled us), and the projection of Edinburgh Castle on the floor which you can make fireworks go off on just by waving your arm in the way. I made it down the vortex tunnel but it's not an experience I would like to repeat any time soon! So much fun whether you have kids or just want to behave like a big kid yourself, there's plenty to gawp in awe at!

Played tourist things when I first came to Edinburgh and was pleasantly surprised as right it might just be enjoyable for kids. The Camera Obscura show wasn't as good because the visuals weren't clear and it was dark, perhaps due to the angle and the crowd and guide seemed a bit rude - guide had little patience when someone talked over her the first time and then someone in the crowd pipped up rudely telling the person to "act properly or leave". Then chattering was fine later on so it seemed peculiar! It's good for tourists as the guide points out some landmarks such as the Pentlands, Arthur's Seat Calton Hill and the Scott Monument. and touches on some practices that being the past alive like the calling of "Garde Loo!" forming the sewage filled lake which is now Princes Gardens. Great views from the top, lots of interesting illusions, mirrors and whacky participatory things to do so kids (and adults) will love it! My favourites were the maze of mirrors and the twirly bridge at the end and always give it another go bit would avoid if you're prone to nausea & dizziness!

How many times have I walked past and never gone in? Lots! But last weekend the hubby and I had time on our hands and decided to pretend to be tourists in our own city. After all, why let the visitors have all the fun! We usually save indoor things for rainy days but with the Camera Obscura it's all about the view so we thought an unseasonable cool but sunny day was perfect - and we were right! When we got our tickets we were given a time slot for the Camera Obscura viewing room - it was only a 15 minute wait so it was recommended that we head straight up to the 6th floor - have our viewing then work our way down. The staff member also stamped our hands (loved walking around town with a giant green smiley face all day!) - it may cost £14 to get in - but you can come and go all day! We found out that this unique building was once a water tower (although it looks more like a lighthouse). As far as we could tell - the only way up was 6 flights of steps. Fine for us but a point to look out for. We got to the top - went out to the roof terrace and WOW! The views were AMAZING!! Now we could see where all these iconic Edinburgh pictures have been taken. Definitely better on a clear day - we were so lucky to have sunshine and blue skies. The roof terrace is nearly 360 degrees (but you have to go out from 2 separate doors) and the Steeple from 'The Hub' blocks some of the view. There are free telescopes and binoculars dotted around and the magnification is astounding - we could see our house! And into people's flats! (NOTE TO SELF: If we ever move closer to the city centre - head to Camera Obscura and make sure the windows are not viewable from any point on the roof terrace!) This alone was worth the entrance fee - but we dragged ourselves away and went into the little round, dark room to see the main attraction. The Camera Obscura is a lens/mirror contraption that reflects a live, moving image onto a dish in a darkened room. This too works best with lots of sunlight - so a dull day may lead to a disappointed viewing. The image was a bit blurry but still cool to see. It was a bit of fun spying on the people below. It's like an olde-time CCTV camera. The guide gave info about Edinburgh and she turned the lens to view different parts of the city. There are 2 tiers in the viewing room. We let the kiddies have the 1st tier, right next to the dish. THis meant that we couldn't participate in the fun of using bits of white paper to lift people off the pavement and make paper bridges for the cars and buses. It was still fun to watch but next time I'll fight the shorties for the front row :D After the show we spent more time on the roof terrace before heading down. There are loads of illusions, art, light features on each floor. Too many to mention in a review, but all worth exploring. This is really a hands-on exhibit - so do get in the spirit and play about. My faves were the thermal imaging camera, the psychedelic astral light tunnel, the illusions posted on the walls, the head on the table, the hall of mirrors and the CCTV cameras we could control ourselves - even better at spying than the Camera Obscura. Now, what about the vortex? My hubby (and several others around us) took 2 steps in and had to leave. I managed to get through but with my eyes closed. By the time we reached the ground floor our eyes and heads were spinning! And tummies a bit queasy from looking at all the illusions - but it was all part of the experience. I can't believe we left it so long to go along and I feel I owe all our past visitors an apology for not taking them to see it! Guess its a good excuse to invite them back and to go again ourselves. We spent over 2 hours here but, thanks to the hand stamp, it is possible to break it up into smaller chunks of time throughout the day.

Great visit at the opening time. The show was great and I really enjoyed all "attraction". It was a really sunny day so the view on the city were gorgeous!!! I will come back for sure

Unique place to have fun with your friends and family. They had so many games to play with your beloved ones especially kids and their optical illusions are absolutely fantastic!

We visited the Camera Obscura as a means to escape the rain one day during the Fringe. We were drawn in by the idea of the Camera Obscura itself which is a Victorian device for looking out over Edinburgh. As it turns out we were more fascinated by the many floors of additional attractions which include holograms, fun mirrors and various optical illusions. I would have happily gone around the whole thing again immediately!

I had an amazing time here. We were looked after by the knowledgeable staff and had great fun looking at all the exhibits and mind bending illusions. I still love the room where it makes one person look tiny and the other like a giant. This would be a great place to entertain kids on a wet day! No wheelchair access as lots of stairs. Great views over the old town and Edinburgh Castle. Circa £12.95 for an adult ticket.

I have mixed feelings about the Camera Obscura. The main attraction, located on the top floor (no lift) was very cool. Our guide for the 20-minute unique tour of Edinburgh was fantastic - the perfect mix of friendly and informative. The view from the top lookout was also great - giving a nice view of the castle, Royal Mile, and the city's surrounding landscape. The negative, though, was that most of the other floors were a little worn and/or geared towards children, so we easily passed through these on our way to the top. (Even slowly going through them, at least for us, we only spent about 30 minutes elsewhere.) And at £27.8 for two, it just felt a little expensive for the 20-30 minutes we loved.

Amaaaaaaaazing place to visit. Absolutely loved it. So much to see and do. Gift shop was well stocked and plenty of little bits for the kids to buy. Would definitely go back.

This tiny little place has quite a lot to offer everyone of all ages. It's like candy for the eye. It's got several floors, each carrying a different thing or light or illusions etc. Really nice views from the top as well. The one critique I have is that it's a bit crowded so if you're claustrophobic or hate tight places, try and find a time of day when it's more quiet although it always seems quite packed

You know those moments when you suddenly realise that for the last two hours something's kept you engaged and happy at such a base level that the grown up world of worries has disappeared for a while? Well that's what happened when my friend and I came to this science-museum-meets-fun-house for some awesome geeky fun in between festival shows. Most important advice: start at the top and work your way down. The camera obscura show on the top (5th) level is impressive if you haven't seen one before, then you're left to your own devices to explore the other 4 floors of optical illusions. This place will appeal to inquisitive minds of all ages - our inner geeky kids came out to play as we dragged each other between exhibits, each wanting to show the other something more mind-boggling than the last. It's no secret I'm easily amused but my mate doesn't get excited about just anything, so I enjoyed seeing him get as enthusiastic as the kiddies ;-) We pretended we were in X-men touching the glowing plasma globes, hid from a giant 3D tarantula that jumped out the picture as we walked past (sorry to my arachnophobic friend!), had some fun with thermal imaging cameras, went cross-eyed over magic eye pics, made silly faces at each other through mirrors, and argued over which dot was bigger (they're always the same size in these damn things!). Just as your enthusiasm begins to wane, your inner child hits jackpot on the 1st floor. First, a mirror maze which will have the sensible among you walking with your hand out in front of you (and the rest of you with squished noses). A GREAT setting for hide and seek, or actually 'see and seek' - I could always see about 5 of my mate but it was finding the real him amongst the reflections that was tricky! Think it was only the sound of my giggles that kept giving me away, well that and the fact that I had to keep apologising for head-butting strangers thinking they were reflections (oops). Finally if you've stuck to my top-down advice you'll end with the pièce de resistance that is the Vortex Tunnel, (and you'll thank me for making sure you've had time to digest lunch on the other floors first!). It's a dark walkway through a revolving neon cylinder that will make you squeal (in my case), swear the floor beneath you is moving (in my mate's case), and grab onto the side rails for dear life whilst laughing at yourself (both of us!). Like so many things it's better tried than described, suffice to say that it's like a crazy trippy high in the safest way possible, that will have you running back to go through it and trick your brain again - we managed 3 times before the dizziness got too much and we'd scared all the kids behind us with our noise :-$ Leave time for the gift shop on the way out - it's ridiculously random and great present-hunting ground to get people quirky stuff they don't need. I'd recommend this place to everyone, but particularly a) cool parents who want to raise intelligent kids, b) the cynical types out there who've lost touch with their childlike sense of wonder, and c) a fun date - if you've seen them all deformed in those highly unflattering distorting mirrors and you're still into them, then you're probably onto a winner!

I thought this was a fun way to wrap up our trip to Edinburgh. I have been to other museums like this as a kid, but it's been a while. We got super lucky with the entry fee, for TWO people it cost us 10 pounds! How'd we do that you say? Well, we are lucky enough to be students, plus two additional 2 pounds off coupons that were printed on the back of Lothian bus tickets! The obscura show was interesting, the sights at the top were gorgeous and the spinning walk through cylinder on the 1st floor was mind boggling. Most of the illusions are things you may have seen before, but some maybe not so. I love that this was built and used in the 1800s, very whimsical indeed!

I went here last week for a wee family day out. Were all pretty disorganised so it was great that it was open until 9pm as we never started thinking about what to do until 3pm, and most places for family fun close at 5pm ish. Its a tenner to get in for your average guy but students, kids and o.a.p's get a discount. There aren't any family tickets which is a bit annoying as there were 6 of us so ended up being a bit pricey. Although the girl at the desk said that they were trying to get a family ticket price arranged. There are 5 floors of fun and weird stuff to look at and take part in including the wee 10 min show of the actual camera obscura on the roof. To be honest, i wasn't much impressed by the camera obscura show because i couldn't really see what was happening, but it was a rainy day and apparently that can effect the view a bit. It is impressive that its been there for so long though, around 150 years, so it would of been cutting edge technology at the time! And you can step out on to the roof and use all the other different telescopes etc. for a clearer view. My favourite bit was walking through the 'vortex tunnel', it really did make you feel like the floor was moving and that your stomach contents would be removed! Didn't stop me having a second go though! On the same floor is the 'room of mirrors' which was fun too, went through loads of times but still couldn't walk through without smacking my face off a mirror at least once! Other fun stuff included holograms, mirrors that make you look weird, optical illusion pics, pics of old Edinburgh, heat sensors, a machine that makes you Shadow stay where it is, weird lights and sound machines plus loads of other stuff. If you've been here before but not for a while its worth another look as there are alot of new things to look at. The gift shop is actually OK too, although obviously overpriced, and a bit random at points, found a badge of Elvis Presley!! eh!!

Fun Fun Fun!!!...... Cost £11-12 for an adult admission, but a great way to spend a few hours!! It will bring the child out in you!

I've lived in Edinburgh for four years now and Camera Obscura has been on my list of places to visit since I moved so I was very excited to finally make it! At £14.50 per person entry price I had my fingers and toes crossed that it would be worth it for my visiting friends and dubious boyfriend who I had cajoled into coming with me, but I needn't have worried. With six floors in total, there's a lot to explore and by the third floor our inner kids had taken over. Mine liked the colourful shadow area the best but had to back out of the turning light tunnel. Juli Ana's made a very cute baby in the transformation computers and we all enjoyed playing with scale so that one of us looked huge and one of us tiny in the same room. The place really is a photo taking paradise and there are too many fun and fascinating exhibits to mention (plus, I wouldn't want to spoil all the surprises!). A highlight though, has to be the very top floor with fantastic open air views out over Edinburgh and binoculars to spy...I mean, look through plus an interesting live narrated show about the namesake of the whole visitor attraction. Unfortunately we ran out of time towards the end of our visit so had to rush past the wedding machine where you can get fake married and through the gift shop which looked so much more fun than your typical visitor attraction gift shop. Giving five stars to Camera Obscura is a no brainer and I'm looking forward to visiting again with both small and big kids in tow.