If you would prefer to explore the house at your own pace, you can do so between 10am and 3pm (last entry 2.30pm) – you do not need to book for this.
Alternatively, you can join our daily general guided tour:
General guided tour
At 3pm each day, join one of our experienced tour guides as they take you on a light-hearted trip through the history of the property. A visit to Gladstone’s Land provides a glimpse into the lives and businesses of some of its former residents, including the sights, sounds and smells that they would have experienced.
Book your guided tour ticket now
Specialist tours
Written and researched by experts in the field, our specialist tours offer a detailed insight into specific areas of Scottish social history. Topics are regularly updated.
Here are our current tours:
NEW! Medical Tales
Join us on a journey through Gladstone’s Land to discover Edinburgh’s medical history. Discover the move from at-home remedies to professional care, and how Edinburgh itself has had a long and rich history with medical advancements – even if they haven’t always been legal or morally correct. Medical Tales brings to light Edinburgh’s Old Town disrepair, the advancement of surgeons ... and even the Black Death.
Book your ticket for Medical Tales
A History of Tea
‘Tea is one of the mainstays of civilisation in this country’ wrote George Orwell in 1946. But when and how did British people develop such an affinity for a drink for which they had to travel across the world to obtain? And how has tea time become such a staple of the British cultural identity?
Gladstone’s Land cordially invites you to a very special tea party. During this 1-hour seated guided tasting, our guide shares the fascinating story of tea over a cup of tea. Or two. Or three. Sweet treats also included!
Please let us know if you have any specific dietary requirements.
Book your ticket for A History of Tea
Tables Through Time: Food in Gladstone’s Land
Following the lives of three women that lived and worked in Gladstone’s Land, Tables Through Time tells the story of changing tastes in food in Edinburgh’s Old Town and the impact of trade, class and fashion on people’s diets. Tastings included!
Book your ticket for Tables through Time
Intimate Lives: The history of sex and desire in Edinburgh’s Old Town
(recommended age: 16+)
Not for the easily embarrassed, this in-depth look at the history of sex in Edinburgh covers fascinating topics including contraception, sex work and LGBTQ+ relationships. Includes some very crude (but historically correct) language.
Book your ticket for Intimate Lives
Please note these specialist tours are held outwith the house’s general opening hours and are classed as events. Members of the National Trust for Scotland do not receive free admission to these specialist tours; adult and concession ticket types can be booked online.
Lectures
Join us on a Thursday evening each month from 7–8pm for a series of exciting informal lectures. Lectures take place in our exhibition space on the first floor, and tickets include refreshments.