For the first time in over 100 years, the Real Mary King’s Close is offering members of the public the extraordinary chance to spend a night within its walls.
The overnight stay forms the centrepiece of a new campaign at The Real Mary King’s Close, offering visitors the rare opportunity to experience the historic streets after dark. The initiative also supports work to stabilise and protect the site, helping historians, conservators and visitors better understand how people in Edinburgh centuries ago lived and uncover stories that would otherwise remain hidden.
One winner will enjoy the chance to stay beyond visiting hours and experience Mary King’s Close as no modern visitors ever have – after dark, without crowds and immersed in the atmosphere of the streets where people once lived, worked and survived.
The experience includes an overnight stay for two with exclusive after-hours access to the site, a private after-dark tour led by an experienced costumed character revealing stories and details rarely shared during public visits, an immersive one-on-one experience with characters including the Plague Doctor and Dr Arnott, and dinner and breakfast served within The Close.
On top of getting to spend a night on the Close, the winner will also receive guest access for two to all of The Real Mary King’s Close special tours running throughout 2026, including Contagion & Carnage: The Plague Tour, A Dram of History, Pride History Tour, Dr Arnott’s Sampling Sensation, Myths and Legends Tour, Lantern Led Tour, and Victorian Christmas Experience. In addition, 10 runners-up will also receive two standard entry tickets to The Real Mary King’s Close.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close said: “This is a truly unique chance to experience The Real Mary King’s Close like no visitor ever has before. To spend the night here after dark, when the crowds have gone and the streets fall silent, is something very few people could ever imagine.
“It’s an unforgettable way to step back in time and immerse yourself in the stories of the people who once lived and worked within these historic streets.”
Supporters can enter the draw to win a night’s stay at The Real Mary King’s Close by contributing to the crowdfunding campaign at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/win-real-mary-kings-close?utm_source=press&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=rmkc-draw-mar26
Entries are open from now until Monday 30 March at 9pm. Entries cost £5 and can be made as many times as you like. The winner and runner-ups will be selected at random and contacted shortly after the draw closes.
The overnight stay will be arranged directly with the winner at a mutually agreed date, subject to availability and site constraints.
For more information about The Real Mary King’s Close, visit:
