Win a night at The Real Mary King’s Close

For more than 400 years, when the doors of Mary King’s Close close for the night, they stay closed.

The last footsteps fade.
The lanterns dim.
And the historic streets beneath Edinburgh fall silent once more.

Until now.

For the first time in centuries, one person will be given the keys to The Real Mary King’s Close after dark.

Through a special prize draw on Crowdfunder, we are offering something that has never happened before: the chance to spend a night inside one of Edinburgh’s most extraordinary historic spaces.

A place where no one has lived for over four centuries.

A night inside the Close

Beneath the Royal Mile lies a preserved piece of Edinburgh’s past. The Real Mary King’s Close is not a reconstruction or a themed set. It is an original 17th-century street, still standing exactly where it was built, hidden beneath the city above.

By day, visitors explore its winding closes and hear the real stories of the people who once lived and worked here.

But when the final tour leaves and the doors close to the public, the Close becomes quiet once again.

Now, one lucky winner and a guest will experience it like never before.

An overnight stay for two inside the Close itself.

When the last guests have left and the city above settles into the night, the site will belong entirely to you.

What the winner will experience

The prize offers a rare and intimate after-hours encounter with The Real Mary King’s Close.

The experience includes:

• An overnight stay for two inside The Real Mary King’s Close
• Exclusive after-hours access once the attraction has closed to the public
• A private evening tour led by one of our costumed characters
• An immersive encounter with the Plague Doctor or Dr Arnott
• A special dinner and breakfast during your stay

The winner will also receive honoured guest access for two to all special tours running throughout 2026, including:

• Contagion & Carnage: The Plague Tour
• A Dram of History
• Pride History Tour
• Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation
• Myths and Legends Tour
• Lantern Led Tour
• Victorian Christmas Experience

In addition, ten runners-up will each win two free entry tickets to visit The Real Mary King’s Close.

Preserving Edinburgh’s hidden history

Every entry into the prize draw supports the ongoing preservation of The Real Mary King’s Close.

Spaces like this are rare. Fragile. Finite.

When Edinburgh expanded in the 18th century, Mary King’s Close was sealed rather than demolished. This left behind homes, passageways and rooms from the 17th century preserved beneath the modern city.

Today, our work focuses on conserving this remarkable historic site, researching its past and sharing the real stories of the people who once lived here.

This kind of conservation is careful and specialised. It requires research, skilled craftsmanship and a deep respect for the original fabric of the site.

By entering the prize draw, you are helping us continue that work and ensuring that this authentic piece of Edinburgh’s past can be protected for generations to come.

How to enter

Taking part is simple.

1. Buy your prize draw entries on Crowdfunder
2. Every entry contributes to the preservation of The Real Mary King’s Close
3. One winner will receive the keys to the Close for a night

Entries start at £5, and you can purchase as many as you wish.

The prize draw will run for 19 days only, closing at 21.00 on Monday 30 March.

 

A moment in the Close’s history

This is not a recreation.
Not a staged experience.

It is the original Close. A place shaped by centuries of lives, stories and history.

And for one night, for the first time in over 400 years, someone will sleep here again.

If you would like the chance to be part of that moment, enter the prize draw now.