QUEENSFERRY MUSEUM

One of the most noted and conspicuous collections in the Museum is the full-scale sized Burry Man, a local custom dating back from times immemorial. The figure is covered in burrs derived from the burdock plant and each year, The Burry Man is celebrated in early August and is said to be an influential force in bringing good luck and prosperity to South Queensferry and its inhabitants. Visitors have mixed reactions when viewing this colossal figure and he is certainly worth seeing during your visit to the Edinburgh area.

For those interested in medicine and pharmacy, The Queensferry Museum presents an exuberant collection of pharmacy bottles, products and compounding and dispensing machinery used in times gone by. Comprehensive information is annotated on each product revealing their medicinal qualities for alleviating and curing specific symptoms. This engaging exhibition contains a varied selection of photographs of South Queensferry's old pharmacies and doctor's surgeries dating from the Victorian era to the present day.

Alternatively, visitors can explore an in-depth account of the construction of the magnificent Forth Rail Bridge, a world-renowned icon in railway engineering and architecture. Completed in 1890, the museum unveils the story of the trials and tribulations during its seven-year construction when fifty-eight people died and over one hundred seriously injured. The museum also offers awe-inspiring panoramic vistas over to this colossal cantilevered structure spanning over one and a half miles long.

The Adjacent Forth Road Bridge, once the largest suspension bridge in Europe is of equal interest to visitors at the Queensferry Museum, accounting its construction from 1958 to its opening in 1964. The bridge was welcomed by some and loss of past traditions and a way of life by others, replacing the North to South Queensferry ferry service that served the two communities for 800 years. Following your visit to the museum, why not visit the Forth Road Bridge itself, home to a foot and cycle path where you can enjoy superb views over the Firth of Forth and marvel at the majestic span of the adjacent Forth Rail Bridge.

The Queensferry Museum is easily accessible from the centre of Edinburgh by public transport with First Edinburgh Bus Service 43 stopping outside the museum. Alternatively, regular rail services between Edinburgh and Fife stop at Dalmeny Station within short walking distance from the museum. Managed by Edinburgh City Council Museums Department, South Queensferry is free of charge to all visitors and opening hours are featured below.