The Incredible Area In Edinburgh's Iconic Castle That Is Often Overlooked, Per Rick Steves

Overlooking the vibrant city of Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Castle complex stands as an ancient soldier watching over it. Millions of people visit this stronghold every year. Though many miss something particularly special while in awe of its centuries' old treasures. Per travel expert Rick Steves, that gem would be the National War Museum of Scotland. Although castles elicit thoughts of magnificent parties or treasures, ones with roots as deep as Edinburgh's have inextricable ties to defense too. 

Edinburgh's Castle is one of the oldest fortified castles in Europe and still remains a part of the country's military today, per its website. Since the castle itself is such a popular destination, it's no surprise that Steves points to one of its lesser known spots to visit since he is often a proponent of hidden gem spots over touristy ones. On his blog, Steves encourages visitors to Scotland's capitol to admire the city's vast history and spend time just exploring — especially beyond the more obvious places like the Royal Mile.  

In describing his adventures down the Royal Mile, Steves began (as the area does) at the castle Itself. "I begin my stroll on the bluff where Edinburgh was born and where a castle now stands," he wrote. "Over the centuries, this mighty fortress was home to many of Scotland's kings and queens. Today it's well worth touring to see the old buildings, stunning views, and crown jewels." You can even visit the Scottish National War Memorial in addition to the museum. 

Built in the 1700s as a storage building, the building which now houses the National War Museum of Scotland holds centuries of history. While it may pale in comparison to the other areas of Edinburgh Castle, like the crown jewel exhibit, it shouldn't be missed, according to Rick Steves. He writes in his blog that the museum is often overlooked. Steves also explains that the museum is able to cover a vast 400 years of Scotland's military history. He is a big fan of museums, after all, particularly historical ones as we learned from his take on the Greek city with the best museums. 

Steves writes that the museum covers everything from Scotland's fierce opposition to British rule and its eventual cooperation. He also says that it isn't just any old boring war museum. "Instead of the usual musty, dusty displays of endless armor, this museum offers an interesting mix of videos, uniforms, weapons, medals, mementos, and eloquent excerpts from soldiers' letters," he wrote. "A pleasant — or exhausting — surprise just when you thought your castle visit was over, this rivals any military museum you'll see in Europe."

The best part is that admission to the National War Museum is free with castle complex paid admission. It's open every day starting fifteen minutes after the complex opens and fifteen minutes before it closes for the day. 

There is not a shortage of museums in Europe. And Rick Steves know how to get the most out of them. So if you want to spend your time wisely at the National War Museum, it's good to know what to expect. There are rotating exhibits to enhance each subsequent visit such as "Maps: Memories from the Second World War" which curated all kinds of cartography related to the war. 

Elsewhere in the museum you'll uncover centuries of artifacts including weapons, letters, armor, and even personal belongings. It's been a museum since 1933. Within the museum are galleries such as: A Grand Life for a Scotsman, Highland Soldier, and Active Service. Some of the artifacts you can see are pretty spectacular too! They include the Josephine tumbler, given to Captain Francis Maitland by Napoleon, and a sword dating back to the late 1700s given to Captain Aeneas Mackay by Tipu Sultan of Mysore (in India). 

Even younger visitors can get in on the experience with the WWI trail, an interactive experience. With this program, visiting kids can step into the shoes of a newly arrived military recruit preparing to go to war. They get to engage with the war museum in a whole new way, by participating in the interactive scavenger hunt.