Kids go free: Historic building close to Edinburgh, is a great day out and has so much for the family to do

The chapel, founded in 1446, has nearly 600 years of history to be explored and whilst it has fascinated adults for centuries, there are so many things for kids to see and do that it’s the ideal family day out, whatever the weather.

It lies in Roslin, just seven-and-a-half miles from Edinburgh and is easily accessible by bus and has car parking too – and it’s free for children as only the adults pay to enter!

Great for kids!

Inside Rosslyn Chapel is a world of images waiting to be discovered. Ornate carvings cover the stonework throughout – and many have their own stories to tell.

Children will be delighted to follow a “treasure map” to seek out the many animal, plant and people carvings. They will love trying to be the first to spot the famous ‘Green man’ or ‘Angel playing the bagpipes’ and how can they fail to be enthralled (and appalled) learning about the gruesome murder of the young apprentice? This is the story behind the Apprentice Pillar. The young trainee carved a stone pillar so beautiful and so ornate that it made the Master Stonemason mad with jealousy and he flew into an angry rage and killed the young boy with his hammer.

Such wrongs never go unpunished though, and legend has it that after the murderer was hanged for his crimes, the stonemasons carved an image of his face opposite the beautiful pillar so that for ever more he would have to look at the work of the talented young apprentice boy.

And, if that’s all too grisly, there’s plenty of more light-hearted fun to be had finding out about the chapel’s Hollywood connections through the Da Vinci code film, dressing up in period costumes or enjoying interactive games in the visitor centre, looking for pocket money treats in the shop, exploring the grounds set in stunning countryside in the Roslin Glen or enjoying a hot chocolate or snack in the café.

Visit any day

The chapel is open every day with bookable 90-minute timeslots for visits inside the building itself. Talks by the expert Guides will bring the stories behind these carvings to life and will help you discover the full history of the building and its unique links to the Da Vinci Code.

It is managed and run by Rosslyn Chapel Trust, which is a charity, so every visit helps to look after the building so that future generations can also appreciate it.

Admission is just £10.50 full price, £9 reduced price, children in a family group go free, and once you’ve paid you can then apply for an annual pass at no extra charge to return whenever you fancy.

Find out more about what there is to do on a family visit or visit the homepage here.