Curiofestival recommends some of the more bizarre things to do and see around Edinburgh.

Clock the magic of time
The Millennium Clock Tower was built for Edinburgh’s 2000 celebrations. It represents human hope and suffering. The craftspeople behind the clock include sculptor-mechanic Eduard Bersudsky. A Russian exile, he escaped with his family to Scotland and in 1995 they set up Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre in Glasgow. His moving sculptures are made from old scrap and are magic in motion. The clock is just one of his many manifestations of a dark, poignant and brutal past.
Millennium Clock Tower, Royal Museum, Chambers St (0131-247-4422)

Witness the hidden underground city
Beneath the City Chambers on the Royal Mile lies Edinburgh's deepest secret - a labyrinth of grim chambers and passageways where real people lived, worked and died between the 17th and 19th centuries. Take one of the guided tours and step back in time to walk through these underground closes and see some of the dramatic episodes and extraordinary apparitions from this underground city's fascinating and historically rich past. To this day, Mary King’s Close is said to be haunted by the hellish souls of its unfortunate residents.
The Real Mary King’s Close, 2 Warriston’s Close (08702-430160)

Gawp in horror at Surgeons’ Hall
Apart from being the most significant medical museum in Scotland, it’s also one of the most gruesome. Spine-tingling exhibits include human skulls, old medical instruments, and even a set of co-joined twins in a bell jar. Certain items of interest are reserved only for the inquisitive gaze of medical students and are not open for public viewing. The museum’s emphasis is on education, not sensationalism, but the exhibits are a reminder of just how gory medical science once was. Among the macabre attractions, look out for the poor victim of scrottum filariasis
Royal College of Surgeons, Nicolson St (0131-527-1649)

Uncover the hidden shame at the Castle
The ancient fortress that stands atop the craggy spur of Castle Rock needs no introduction. It is an icon of the Scottish nation and a top tourist attraction. Yet Edinburgh Castle’s walls are keeper to many dark secrets from a murky past. The castle is said to be haunted by a number of ghosts.  Among the spirits in residence is the Lady of Galmis, who was imprisoned there and burned as a witch in 1537.
Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile (0131-225-9846)

Explore Edinburgh’s spooky vaults
The South Bridge Vaults were built underneath the 19 stone arches of Edinburgh South Bridge in the late 1700s to serve as storage space and workshops for local merchants, but the dark caverns quickly became the dens of criminals, prostitutes and other unsavoury characters. Closed off in the early 1800s, the vaults were rediscovered in 1985 and are now open for tours. Since then many visitors have reported ghost sightings and other strange encounters.
Mercat Tours, 28 Blair St (013- 225-5445)

Look into the Camera Obscura
Seeing is not always believing. Edinburgh has one of the UK’s few remaining large-scale cameras obscuras. It has been open to the public since the 1850s and today still ranks as one of the most curious phenomena in optical science. Catch live panorama images of the city via this fascinating Victorian ‘eye in the sky’.
Camera Obscura, Royal Mile (0131-226-3709)

Peer inside Edinburgh’s cabinet of curiosities
One of Edinburgh’s most eccentric residents has amassed a truly eerie collection of oddities and objets de trouves from around the world. Gordon Rutter, a fungus expert by trade, has an amazing collection on display in his own home. Exhibits include a blood-filled monkey mask, the stuffed hand of an executed criminal, and a stuffed two-headed duck. Personal tour available on request.
Gordon Rutter’s cabinet of curiosities