· By Herb Lester

Museum of Childhood, Edinburgh

Extract from An Edinburgh Companion.

Come armed with coins to drop in slots and bring to life Sweeney Todd and other less-gruesome mechanical diversions, part of a collection of childhood toys and games that, though small, is wide in scope – Blue Peter annuals, teddy bears, miniature butcher’s shop and a 21-room dolls house included. A gift shop is stocked with the sort of keenly priced novelties – flying dinosaurs, bouncing putty, plastic animal sound toys – that will presumably find their way into the collection in due course.

Museum of Childhood 42 High Street, Royal Mile, EH1 1TG 
Tel: 0131 529 4142
Mon-Sat: 10am-5pm; Sun: 12noon-5pm