Journey Back In Time
Imagine a warren of streets frozen in time, where centuries of stories are just waiting to be told. Discover authentic truths about Edinburgh's dark past, and find out what it was really like for the people who lived, worked, and died on the Close.
Experience The Close
Take a journey back in time and experience history through the eyes of the people who lived it.
Discover authentic truths about Edinburgh's dark past and find out what it was really like for the people who lived, worked and died on the Close
Explore The Close
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Guided Tours
Join our immersive guided tour and uncover the real stories of Edinburgh’s past beneath the Royal Mile.
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Dr. Arnott's Sampling Sensation
Become Dr. Arnott's students and uncover fascinating secrets of 17th century medicine.
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A Herstory Tour
Join us to hear real stories about the influential women of the closes who shaped the city's history and pioneered gender equality.
Upcoming Events
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Guided Tours
- 1st Jan - 31st Dec 2026
- Monday - Sunday
Our award-winning guided tours offer a rare chance to explore the original 17th-century closes and rooms hidden beneath the Royal Mile, where untold secrets come to life.
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Closes & Coffee
- 1st Jan - 31st Dec 2026
- Saturday - Sunday
Step into an exclusive immersive experience from The Real Mary King’s Close and The Lost Close - sealed for nearly 200 years.
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Dr Arnott's Sampling Sensation
- 1st Jan - 31st Dec 2026
- Saturday - Sunday
Uncover the secrets of 17th-century medicine with Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation, as you become one of his students and concoct your own herbal remedy.
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A Herstory Tour
- 8th Mar 2026
- Sunday - Sunday
This Women's History Month, join us to hear real stories about the inspiring women of the closes.
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Contagion & Carnage: The Plague Tour
- 1st - 28th Apr 2026
- Friday - Saturday
Step into the shadows and explore the grim reality of Edinburgh’s plague years in a spine-chilling, immersive experience.
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A Dram of History
- 1st May 2026
- Friday - Saturday
Descend beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for an exclusive blend of hidden history and Scotland’s finest whisky
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Pride History Tours
- 1st - 30th Jun 2026
- 16.00 | 17.30
To celebrate Pride Month this June, The Real Mary King’s Close has re-launched its Pride History Tours.
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The Cape Controversy
- 19th Nov 2026
- Thursday - Thursday
A secret society. A hidden feast. Beneath Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, a door opens that is not marked on any map.
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