Leith Theatre
ENTRY
from £2
WHERE
Edinburgh
What it’s like
A 1930s art deco theatre in Leith where you can take the kids on a heritage tour while it's mid-restoration.
This isn't a panto-and-popcorn afternoon out just yet. Leith Theatre is partway through a big restoration, so what's on offer right now is the heritage tour of the building itself, art deco bones from the 1930s, plus the odd film screening, live music night or youth class depending on what's running. If your kids like poking around old buildings and hearing how a place used to look, £5 gets an adult round and it's £2 for a child on the Halloween version they run.
It's not aimed squarely at toddlers, there's no age range given, but a curious eight or nine-year-old who likes a bit of history will get more out of it than a two-year-old who just wants to run about. Worth knowing before you go: the Main Auditorium's ground floor is step-free and wheelchair accessible, but the balcony is steps only with no lift, so if anyone in your group needs step-free access throughout, stick to what's happening in the Thomas Morton Hall instead, which is entirely on the ground floor.
Getting there is the easy part. Trams stop at Ocean Terminal and Foot of the Walk, both under fifteen minutes' walk, and buses stop right on the doorstep. Parking is the faff, there's basically nothing on site bar one disabled bay that isn't always available to the public, so you're relying on on-street spaces nearby or a local car park.
Because it's still in development, this reads more like an occasional outing than a regular one, a heritage tour or a one-off screening rather than somewhere you'd build a weekly routine around. Keep an eye on what they've got scheduled and treat a visit as a specific event rather than a drop-in day out.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Better for older kids curious about history than toddlers
- Parking
- Limited on-street parking in surrounding area
- Wheelchairs
- Main Auditorium ground floor wheelchair accessible with step-free access
- Getting there by bus or train
- Ocean Terminal tram stop 0.4 miles (10 mins walk)
- Accessible toilets are on site and clearly signposted, just ask staff.
- If anyone needs to bring food, drink or medication for a medical reason, staff will sort you out at arrival.
- The balcony has no lift, so it's steps only if that's where an event is seated.
- Bike parking is available if you're cycling down.
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
The heritage tour is £5 for an adult. There's also a Family-Friendly Halloween Heritage Tour with a £2 child price.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
No age range is given, but it leans towards kids old enough to enjoy a building tour rather than little ones wanting to run about.
Is there parking?
Barely any on site, just one disabled bay that isn't regularly open to the public. You're better off with on-street parking nearby or a local car park.
How do we get there without a car?
Trams stop at Ocean Terminal and Foot of the Walk, both around a ten to twelve minute walk away, and there are bus routes right on the doorstep.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The Main Auditorium's ground floor is step-free and wheelchair accessible, and the Thomas Morton Hall is entirely ground floor too. The balcony is steps only, with no lift on site.
Is the theatre fully open?
It's currently going through restoration as part of a National Lottery Heritage Fund project, so it isn't running as a full year-round venue yet. What's on tends to be tours, screenings, music or youth classes rather than a regular programme.
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