Whether you are looking to finally step inside somewhere you’ve walked past hundreds of times or are setting out to discover somewhere new, there are plenty of places opening their doors this weekend in Edinburgh.
With more than 100 buildings taking part in the 2025 Edinburgh Doors Open Days, visitors will be spoiled for choice when walking around the city on Saturday and Sunday.
From Barnton Bunker to the Northern Lighthouse Board on George Street, here are 12 buildings to explore during this year’s festival.
5. Castlebrae Business Centre
Now Castlebrae Business Centre - a social enterprise with 41 business tenants - this B-Listed building was opened in 1943 as Niddrie Marischal Secondary School. | TSPL
6. French Institute of Scotland
The French Institute of Scotland - or the Institut Francais D'Ecosse - can be found opposites St Giles Cathedral. It offers everything from language lessons to film screenings throughout the year but will host talks, readings and more during the 2025 Edinburgh Doors Open Days. | Google Maps
7. Collective - City Observatory
Collective is a contemporary art gallery in a heritage observatory, on Calton Hill. During this weekend's Doors Open Days in Edinburgh, Observatory House - the oldest building on the site - will be welcoming the public for self guided tours, with site tours and those of the Cooke telescope also running at specific times across the weekend. | MAKSYM - stock.adobe.com
8. The Bayes Centre, University of Edinburgh
The Bayes Centre - Edinburgh University's Innovation Hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence - will be open to the public for pre-booked building tours, general displays and activities all weekend. | Google Maps