Museums & Galleries · Edinburgh
National War Museum
📍 EH1 2NG
Photo: Dave Hitchborne (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- Explore over 400 years of conflict history
- View military objects, artwork and personal stories
- See featured exhibition on the Scottish National War Memorial
- Located within Edinburgh Castle grounds
- School visits available for pupils studying conflict and the military
The National War Museum sits within Edinburgh Castle and explores over 400 years of conflict through military objects, artwork and personal stories. It's a good choice if you're interested in Scotland's military history, and it also welcomes school groups studying war or conflict. A featured exhibition, The Art of Commemoration, looks at the story behind the Scottish National War Memorial. The museum is open daily, with slightly shorter hours in winter, and is closed on 25 and 26 December. As it's part of Edinburgh Castle, tickets are bought through the castle's own website. If you're staying nearby, Edinburgh Waverley station is just 0.5 miles away, and there are 165 bookable places to stay within 5 miles on BritStays.
Practical details
- Open
- Daily, 09:45-17:45 (Apr-Sep) or 09:45-16:45 (Oct-Mar), closed 25-26 Dec
- Booking
- Buy tickets via the Edinburgh Castle website
- Best for
- Those studying war, the military or conflict
From the attraction's own website on 15 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
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Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0.2 mi
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🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to National War Museum into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- Edinburgh Waverley 0.5 miles
- Haymarket 0.7 miles
- Slateford 2.2 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page