The Open Eye Gallery
WHERE
Edinburgh
What it’s like
A small Edinburgh gallery of contemporary Scottish art and photography, a quiet stop if your kids can manage a calm look round.
This is a proper gallery rather than an activity centre, so what you're getting is a wander round changing exhibitions of contemporary Scottish painting and photography. There's no mention of trails, activities or anything aimed specifically at children, so it suits a kid who can cope with looking rather than touching, and a shortish visit rather than a whole afternoon.
Opening hours are tight if you're planning round it. Tuesday to Friday it's 11am to 5pm, but Saturday closes at 2pm, and it shuts entirely during changeover weeks between shows. There's no toilet on site either, which matters more with small children than with anyone else, so sort that out before you arrive rather than after.
Getting in involves a small rise of steps at the ground floor, though they say a portable ramp is available if you contact them ahead, which is a decent option for buggies as well as wheelchairs. Parking nearby is meter pay-and-display on Abercromby Place or Heriot Row, and if you're coming without a car it's about a 15-minute walk from Waverley Station or 10 minutes from the St Andrew Square tram stop, with buses running along Dundas Street too.
Need to know
- Parking
- Pay at meter on Abercromby Place or Heriot Row
- Wheelchairs
- Portable ramp available for ground floor access
- Getting there by bus or train
- 15-minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley Station
- Ring ahead during exhibition changeover weeks as the gallery closes fully
- Buses 9, 23 and 27 run along Dundas Street if you're not driving
- Contact in advance to arrange the portable ramp for step-free access
Plan your visit
What are the opening hours?
Tuesday to Friday it's 11am to 5pm, and Saturday it's just 11am to 2pm. It's closed during exhibition changeover weeks, so ring ahead if you're planning a special visit.
Is there parking nearby?
There's meter parking on Abercromby Place or Heriot Row close by. No dedicated car park is mentioned.
Is it buggy or wheelchair accessible?
The ground floor has a small rise of steps, but there's a portable ramp if you contact the gallery ahead to arrange it.
Is there a toilet we can use?
No, there are no toilet facilities on site, so it's best to sort that out before you arrive.
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