Celebrate Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month, and our specially curated Herstory Tours are back in 2026! Come and join us on a 1-hour social history tour dedicated to the women of Mary King’s Close. From Janet Chesney, whose family was the last to live and run a business on the historic street, to the famous Mary Queen of Scots…

What’s Included in our Herstory Tour?

The Real Mary King’s Close is celebrating the achievements of Edinburgh’s most influential women this International Women’s Day and throughout Women’s History Month! Join us to hear real stories about the women of the closes.

Discover how revolutionary thinkers like Sophia-Jex Blake and the other medical students who formed the Edinburgh Seven pioneered gender equality. Also, learn how women have shaped the city’s history and continue to impact our lives today. What’s more, many of the inspiring women you will discover on tour lived, worked and shared ideas here.

You will even have the rare opportunity to meet Mary King herself. Find out how she became a successful merchant and obtained voting rights nearly 300 years ahead of her time.

In fact, Mary King’s Close was a “haven for independent women”. Defying the standards of the time, 45 per cent of the properties on the street had a female head of the household. To discover why, book a Herstory Tour today!