Doors Open Days 2025 at the University of Edinburgh

50 Niddry Street (off the Royal Mile), EH1 1LG

Open: Saturday 27 September, 10am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm)

St Cecilia’s Hall is Scotland’s oldest concert hall and home to the University of Edinburgh’s world-renown Musical Instrument Collection. From serpents to saxophones, harmonicas to harpsichords and tambourines to Telecasters, explore the world of musical instruments and discover a live museum of music during your visit. 

Join us for musical performances and demonstrations highlighting music and musical instruments from around the world. These will happen on the hour from 10:00 – 16:00. Short, guided tours will be given by the Curators on the half hour from 10:30 – 15:30 (no booking required). 

St Cecilia's Hall: Concert Hall and Music Museum 

Old College, South Bridge, EH8 9YL

Open: Saturday 27 September and Sunday 28 September, 10am–5pm

With a 19th century former natural history museum and a contemporary white cube to fuel its engine, Talbot Rice Gallery is dedicated to exploring how the University of Edinburgh can contribute to contemporary art production today and into the future. Solo exhibitions provide international artists with access to University research and collections, whilst conceptual group exhibitions foreground key political and social issues.

Join us outside Talbot Rice Gallery in the Quad for a brief introduction to the gallery’s history and our current solo exhibition by Egyptian artist Wael Shawky. We'll then head inside to explore the exhibition, which spans both our contemporary and neoclassical spaces. This special exhibition marks the 50th anniversary of Talbot Rice Gallery.

Book a tour at Talbot Rice Gallery on Eventbrite

Bristo Square, EH8 9AL 

Open: Saturday 27 September, 10am–5pm 

McEwan Hall was presented to the University in 1897 by William McEwan as a ceremonial hall for graduations and as a gift to the people of Edinburgh. This iconic Grade A listed building was designed by Sir Rowand Anderson, with lavish interiors by William Palin. Construction was completed in 1894, but it took another three years to complete the interior designs, the centrepiece being the 15 beautifully painted mural panels that make up the vast dome. 

A painstaking multi-million pound refurbishment has restored much of the intricacy to its original beauty and created a modern, superbly equipped space, with state-of-the-art audio visual equipment and accessible facilities.

University staff will be hosting displays in McEwan Hall. Explore the building and get stuck in with hands-on science activities hosted by the College of Science and Engineering. 

McEwan Hall 

Mound Place, Edinburgh, EH1 2LX

Open: Sunday 28 September, 12pm-4.30pm 

Founded in 1846, New College occupies an important place in Edinburgh’s iconic skyline. Once the location of the palace of Mary of Guise (mother of Mary Queen of Scots), the College is now home to the University of Edinburgh’s School of Divinity. Treasures include the beautiful Rainy Hall and the New College Library.

Visitors are free to look around the building. Tour guides will be on hand to say more about the historical and architectural significance of the various rooms, and there will be a display of treasures from the Library.

School of Divinity 

George Square Lane, EH8 9LD 

Open: Saturday 27 September and Sunday 28 September, 1pm–5pm 

Place of worship serving the spiritual needs of students and staff, situation in the garden of an Edinburgh town house from 1766. 

This award-winning Chapel is located in the two back gardens of Edinburgh’s oldest Georgian Square. Commissioned in 2011 by the Dominican Order who serve as chaplains to Edinburgh’s universities, the Chapel serves as the spiritual home of Catholic university students and staff and a great many others besides. 

There is an audio guide to the plants in the grounds, each of which refers to the stations of the cross. It is accessed by a QR code in the garden. 

Chapel of St Albert the Great

2 Charles Street, Edinburgh EH8 9AD

Open: Saturday 27 September 10am-5pm and Sunday 28 September 11.30am-5pm 

Our Visitor Centre staff are on hand to offer support and advice with any queries you may have about the University and the surrounding area. You will find a range of literature including maps, undergraduate and postgraduate prospectuses and other publications with further information about the University.

The Visitor Centre is also home to the University's official gift shop. Whether it is a reminder of your time here, a gift for family or friends, or a token of appreciation for an important guest, the centre offers something for everyone: from baseball caps, pens and mugs to pewter quaichs, crystal glasses and silver cufflinks.

You can call in and see us at the Visitor Centre or order online.

Online gift shop 

47 Potterrow, EH8 9BT

Open: Sunday 28 September, 10am–2pm

The Bayes Centre is the University of Edinburgh's Innovation Hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. The technical strengths brought together in the Bayes Centre build on world-leading academic excellence in the mathematical, computational, engineering, and natural sciences in the University of Edinburgh's College of Science and Engineering. The Bayes Centre offers a new kind of collaborative, multidisciplinary proving ground where we develop innovative technological solutions for the benefit of society. 

Come along to this event to experience guided tours and celebrate the award-winning architecture of the Bayes Centre complex, offering a unique opportunity to appreciate how architectural heritage merges with and supports current and future innovation. Building open to visitors but Bayes Centre complex tours require booking.

Book Bayes Centre complex tours on Eventbrite

47 Potterrow, EH8 9BT 

Open: Sunday 28 September, 10am–2pm 

Inspace is a dynamic exhibition and events space, part of the Institute for Design Informatics, which focuses on fusing design and creative methodologies with data, data science and data-driven technologies. Learn about the cutting-edge facilities at Inspace, including interactive technologies and pioneering design features that inspire creativity and exploration through connecting art, design, research and technology. 

Venture behind the scenes to visit our studio and workshop where student and staff create prototypes and experiences that make real to people the ideas that underpin the data society, and engage with multimedia displays and hands-on activities that highlight a snippet of the Institutes research.

10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB

Open: Sunday 28 September, 10am–2pm

Did you know the Informatics Forum boasts a roof terrace offering panoramic views of the iconic Arthur’s Seat? 

The University’s history in pioneering artificial intelligence and computer science research dates back to 1963 with the establishment of dedicated research groups and has grown to a vibrant hub of activity within the state-of-the-art Informatics Forum and the adjacent Bayes Centre and InSpace. 

Opened in September 2008 the Informatics Forum, designed as a ‘Forum for Interaction’, now provides space for over 500 scientists pursuing research in fields such as computer science, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science.

The University of Edinburgh, 1 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, EH3 9EF 

Open: Saturday 27 September, 10am–4pm

 The University of Edinburgh has transformed the iconic, category-A listed Old Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh into Edinburgh Futures Institute; a publicly accessible space for interdisciplinary collaboration, data-led innovation, education, research and partnership with industry. 

Edinburgh Futures Institute occupies the restored 20,000m² space which includes state-of-the-art teaching facilities, rooms for co-working with industry partners, incubation areas for businesses, labs for innovation and prototyping, and exhibition and performance spaces. 

The revitalised building transforms the local area, creating a major public piazza, new garden spaces, and several new points of access from Lauriston Place, Middle Meadow Walk and Quartermile – opening this historic site once again to the public and welcoming Edinburgh communities, residents and visitors, as well as University of Edinburgh staff and students.

Explore the building, delve into our history, browse displays and stalls and get hands on with drop-in activities for all ages. Check our website for the full activity programme including bookable guided tours.

Events at Edinburgh Futures Institute 

2 Hope Park Square, EH8 9NR 

Open: Saturday 27 September, 10am–4pm 

The Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh is one of the world's premier Institutes for Advanced Study. We support innovative research across the arts, humanities and social sciences through a range of interdisciplinary and international projects and programmes. 

In the mid-twentieth century, the building was the University’s Department of Artificial Intelligence, developing the world’s first thinking robot to combine a seeing eye and feeling hand, “Freddy I”, whose brother (“Freddy II”) can be seen in the National Museum of Scotland. 

There will be three exhibitions on display: 

• Literary Lives at Hope Park Square (ground floor) 

  Our exhibition explores the life of journalist and author Dame Rebecca West, who lived at 2 Hope Park Square, and featured the building in one of her novels. We also celebrate the Isabel Dalhousie series of books by Sir Alexander McCall-Smith often including scenes at the Institute, and the host of plays written at IASH by our playwrights-in-residence, from David Harrower’s multi-award-winning Blackbird to Rona Munro’s The Last Witch.

• A Home for Research (first floor) 

  A display of recent books written at IASH by our Fellows. Explore cutting-edge research in history, literature, law, psychology, music, social science and much more. Free copies of texts in our Occasional Papers series are available.

• The Pill: Angry Chuckles (first floor) 

  Explore a display of poems, interview excerpts, and artworks that reflect experiences of real individuals with contraceptives, sexual and reproductive health, and pregnancy and STI prevention. As a society, we need more open, honest and caring conversations around these issues. Have you used contraception or contraceptive services? Have you, or might you, experience abortion, pregnancy or STIs? Do you help to design policy? Are you a researcher or healthcare provider? This exhibition invites you to reflect on your own experiences and think about how you might help improve contraceptive experiences or support people in your life navigating these issues. Curated by Dr Marie Larsson, the exhibition is part of a pilot project focusing on creative methods and interdisciplinary collaboration in contraceptive research.

Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities 

1 Marchhall Crescent, EH16 5HP 

Open: Sunday 28 September, 10am–3pm 

Abden House was built in 1855 for Thomas Nelson, founder of the Scottish publishers of that name, designed by civil engineer Thomas Davies. Today it’s the property of the University of Edinburgh, through the gift of Sir Donald Pollock.

Built with three storeys in the Jacobean revivalist style of the 19th century Abden faces a carriage circle with gates at the end of Marchhall Crescent. It has an irregular plan with single story wings on the North and South sides.

The language and culture drop-in activities we offer on the day encourage people of all ages to learn more about the Institute, meet the institute teachers, learn some Chinese language, enjoy several cultural activities, and visit Abden House and its beautiful surroundings.

Abden House

5 Little France Drive, EH16 4UU 

Open: Saturday 27 September, 10am–4pm 

The Institute for Regeneration and Repair (IRR) is a multi-disciplinary research institute. Our scientists and clinicians study tissue regeneration and repair to advance human health and reproductive outcomes. The Institute incorporates the Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CRM), Centre for Inflammation Research (CIR) and the Centre for Reproductive Health (CRH). It was opened officially by the Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh in January 2024. 

Come have a snoop at our science! Meet researchers from across the Instutite of Regeneration and Repair and the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine in the cutting-edge IRR South building. Join us for hands-on family activities and guided tours of the laboratories.  

There will be opportunity to pre-book lab tours as well as some spaces to sign up on the day. An Eventbrite link for pre-booking will be posted on this page shortly. 

IRR Doors Open Day event page 

The pre-booked guided tours of IRR are sold out, however there will be a small number of walk-in spaces available on the day. Visit Eventbrite for more details. 

IRR Guided Tours (Eventbrite)

Crewe Road South, EH4 2XU

Open: Saturday 27 September, 11am–4pm 

The mission of the Institute of Genetics and Cancer (IGC) is to improve the lives of people living with genetic disease and cancer through research. 

Our institute is the central hub of our 3 research centre buildings – the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, the MRC Human Genetics Unit (HGU) and the Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine (CGEM). In October 2024, we opened the newest extension to our institute – the 4D Cellular Medicine Wing. 

IGC Researchers tackle one of the greatest biomedical challenges of today – explaining how changes in our DNA lead to disease. Our multidisciplinary teams of world-class scientists and leading clinicians work together under one roof with access to cutting-edge facilities. Our researchers work across scale, from molecules to populations, and are paving the way to more targeted treatments and therapies for people living with genetic conditions and cancers, involving patients and the public every step of the way.

Enjoy a full programme of building tours, talks, videos, lay posters and drop-in activities. Tours can be booked on the day. 

Institute for Genetics and Cancer

Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ 

Open: Saturday 27 September and Sunday 28 September, 10am–5pm (last entry 4pm) 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to essential repairs, the rooftop and Victorian telescope dome will NOT be open to visitors this year. There will be NO TOURS of these historical areas as they will be CLOSED. There are still lots of other areas to enjoy on the site. 

Join us to learn more about the out-of-this-world work, both past and present, being done right here in Edinburgh at the organisations based on site at the Observatory. 

Activities over the weekend include Astronomy crafts, handling meteorites and the chance to talk to Engineers, Astronomers, and exciting start up companies. 

More information and the opportunity to pre-book an arrival slot is available on the Royal Observatory Edinburgh's Eventbrite page. 

Doors Open Days at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh