4 Best Sights in Edinburgh, Edinburgh and the Lothians

This handsome former school building displays paintings and sculptures by Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, and André Derain, among others. The gallery also houses an excellent restaurant in the basement and a lavender-filled garden. Across the street in a former orphanage is the Gallery of Modern Art Two (formerly the Dean Gallery), which has Scot–Italian Sir Eduardo Paolozzi's intriguing recreated studio and towering sculpture Vulcan. Excellent temporary exhibitions (some of which are free) rotate several times a year. Both galleries have wonderful gardens where you can enjoy a serene picnic amid sculptures like "Landforms" by Charles Jencks and "There will be no Miracles Here" by Nathan Coley. A nearby path along the Water of Leith connects with Dean Village and Stockbridge.

Housed within the University of Edinburgh's magnificent Old College, the Talbot Rice puts on challenging contemporary art shows by international and emerging artists, intelligently incorporated into the gorgeous neoclassical and white cube spaces.

This contemporary gallery behind Waverley Station showcases cutting-edge art, mostly from Europe and the United States, including world-renowned artists like Louise Bourgeois, Eva Hesse, and Dieter Roth. Turner Prize–winning artist Martin Creed was also commissioned by the gallery to create a piece of public art nearby—walk up or down the Scotsman Steps to see his colorful marble creation.

Worth visiting for a look at the imposing, neoclassic architecture, this William Playfair–designed structure hosts contemporary art exhibitions with an emphasis on young artists. The underground Weston Link connects the museum to the National Gallery of Scotland.