Edinburgh 900 Events

29 results
A photograph of the remains of the Trinity Stones lying in Calton Hill, with buildings and the Crags in the background
Reviving the Trinity Stones: A Puzzle and a Treasure Hunt
22nd November
In 1848 the iconic Trinity Collegiate Church was demolished to make way for what is now Platform 2 of Waverley Station. The stones were left on Calton Hill for over…
Pictorial map of Edinburgh and Leith from 1934
Edinburgh: A history in twenty maps
28th November
This fully illustrated talk will examine the history of the city through 20 selected maps of Edinburgh, dating from the 1530s through to the present day. At one level, these…
St Giles
St Giles and the larger burgh churches in Scotland; 900 years of development
5th December
St Giles is well known and also celebrates 900 years of existence. It is one of several large churches that developed in, or close to, the centres of Royal Burghs,…
A plaque on the wall of the Museum of Edinburgh which reads in gold Latin script 'UT TU LINGUAE TUAE SIC EGO ME AR AURIU DOMINUS SUM', which means 'As thou art (master) of my tongue, so I am master of my ears'.
”Maister Cunyeours’ – the 16th century Acheson Goldsmiths of the Burgh of Canongate
17th January 2025
Come along and hear about a fascinating aspect of Edinburgh’s history.
Mary Queen of Scots and her attendants in a rowing boat heading out to a larger ship in the background
Mary Queen of Scots – Femme Fatale or a Victim of Circumstance?
23rd January 2025
Mary Queen of Scots has been regarded as a controversial figure for over four centuries since her death in 1587. Was she a murdering adulteress or a victim of the…
Pictorial black and white representations of 2. The printing devices of Walter Chepman and Andrew Myllar
Edinburgh: The Birthplace of Printing in Scotland
30th January 2025
Scotland’s first printing press was set up in the Cowgate in 1508. This illustrated talk will introduce the main players involved in its establishment – a king, an archbishop, a…
A list of the names of the adventurers in the bank of Scotland dates 04 February 1697
Adventures in Banking: The Scandals and Stories behind the Bank of Scotland’s First Investors.
13th February 2025
If you see banking as boring, think again! Join us for an exploration of the names on the list that changed the finances of a nation.
A composite image of the National Covenant with a group of covenanters
So, you think you know your National Covenant?
28th February 2025
In this talk, Nico Tyack will attempt to unlock the secrets hidden in the Scottish National Covenant.
A BSL interpreter beside a photograph of the Museum of Edinburgh sign. Subtitles run along the bottom of the image, mentioning that the Museum is housed in the 16th century building Huntly House
BSL Interpreted tour of the Museum of Edinburgh
20th March 2025
Join us for a tour of iconic objects at the Museum of Edinburgh which will have a BSL interpreter present. Once described as the ‘treasure box’ of the city, the Museum…
Edinburgh's New Town street map
Edinburgh’s New Town
16th April 2025
A virtual walk that considers the drivers for the change that transformed the city.
Audacious Women of the Enlightenment
26th April 2025
Join us for an event in partnership with Audacious Women Festival to Celebrate Edinburgh900: City of Ideas.  The Enlightenment may be seen mainly as a male phenomenon, but women were…
Book with drawing of Thomas Muir with the words
Thomas Muir and the Martyrs’ Monument on Calton Hill
1st May 2025
The story of Thomas Muir is both tragic and inspirational.
A black and white drawing of the Advocates' library, with groups of people spread across a long room with a high ceiling, ceiling length windows and a cupola in the ceiling
The Library of the Faculty of Advocates in the Scottish Enlightenment: A Locus for the Exchange of Ideas
2nd May 2025
This talk focuses on the important role which the Library of the Faculty of Advocates played in 18th-century Edinburgh, and the significance of Keepers of the Library such as Thomas Ruddiman and David Hume.
A coloured drawing of the signed treaty being handed to Queen Anne by a kneeling man in flowing blue robes and a wig. Two courtiers stand behind the queen; a fourth man holds the union flag.
Edinburgh and the Act of Union 1707
8th May 2025
This illustrated talk will consider the background to the mounting crisis between Scotland and England, a crisis that could easily have slipped into hostilities.
Portrait of Henry Raeburn
Edinburgh Enlightened Golfers
15th May 2025
The rich heritage of Leith has many interesting stories to tell. This talk will explore the variety of notable people who have played golf on Leith Links.
Image of Sara Sheridan and Leslie Hills
In Conversation with Sara Sheridan and Leslie Hills
17th May 2025
Sara Sheridan and Leslie Hills explore hidden herstories unearthed over years of writing and research.
This view looking south from Calton Hill depicts young men playing football, showing that the game was an accepted part of everyday life in the city in the 1840s. It is a scene from an extraordinary 360-degree panorama of Edinburgh and the Surrounding Countryside, published by William Macgill and the lithographer Friedrich Schenck.
The birth of football in Edinburgh
22nd May 2025
The birth of football in Edinburgh: from the world’s first football club to the founding of Hearts and Hibs. If you think football in Edinburgh started with Hearts and Hibs,…
Steam train coming into station with Edinburgh buildings in background
Life and Leisure in Victorian Edinburgh
23rd May 2025
Join us as we explore the archives to look at life and leisure in Victorian Edinburgh.