About This Event
Please check organiser for times. For one night only, The Real Mary King’s Close opens its underground streets in an entirely different way. Underground Unlocked is not a guided tour. Instead, you are invited to explore the Close freely for up to 2 hours, wandering through preserved streets alive with the voices, trades, and stories of Edinburgh’s past residents. Step inside homes and workplaces where merchants barter, poets share hidden verses, and plague doctors move through the shadows. Around every corner, historical figures bring the underground city to life through conversation, craft, and storytelling. With up to 15 characters appearing throughout the Close, each encounter reveals another layer of life beneath the city streets. You may cross paths with familiar names from Edinburgh’s history, including Mary King herself, Deacon Brodie, Marie Maitland, and residents living through the realities of plague, superstition, and survival in the 17th century. Due to the nature of this preserved site, the experience includes multiple steps, uneven surfaces, low lighting, and narrow passageways throughout. Unfortunately, step-free access is not available, and the experience is not suitable for wheelchair users. The experience is delivered in English only, and audio guides are not available. The experience is suitable for children aged 5 years and over, although it has been designed primarily with older children and adults in mind due to its immersive storytelling and historical themes. This immersive, atmospheric, and entirely self-guided experience takes place on 01 October 2026 with timed slots available. For further details and tickets visit Underground Unlocked.