The Edinburgh Wax Museum opened in 1976 and closed for good 13 years later in 1989, after a run that left many locals with nightmares, especially those who visited as children.
Housed in a prime position off the Royal Mile, the attraction was Scotland's answer to Madame Tussauds in London. It was curated by entrepreneur and professional magician Charles Cameron, who also portrayed Dracula in evening performances in the Castle Dracula Theatre on the building's top floor.
More than 150 wax figures
At its peak, the museum attracted more than 230,000 visitors each year and displayed dozens upon dozens of wax figures. Its collection of more than 150 figures included legendary Scottish historical figures such as William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, Robert Burns, Mary Queen of Scots and Sir Alexander Fleming.
Alongside those historical names were modern-day celebrities, including Billy Connolly, Lulu and Sean Connery, as well as fictional characters from fairytales such as Humpty Dumpty, Peter Pan and Dracula. In the 1980s, the museum added pop culture figures based on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Spock from Star Trek, and Prince Charles and Lady Diana.
The Chamber of Horrors
For many visitors, the most memorable part of the museum was its Chamber of Horrors. There, visitors were met with creepy depictions of witches and wizards, cannibals and more, which could scare them for life.
In memories reported by Edinburgh Live, one local said: "I loved this place. Went many times in the 80s. There was the man with the camera around his neck who would scare you by taking a photo suddenly." Another recalled: "My dad took me when I was wee and I freaked out in the horror section. I think they had to take me out the emergency exit."
Haunted ground
According to folklore website Spooky Isles, the Chamber of Horrors was not necessarily the scariest thing about the building. The site claims "alleged actual hauntings were said to have taken place in the building itself".
Before becoming a wax museum, the site was a children's shelter and one of the few survivors of the Great Fire of Edinburgh in 1824. Many locals insisted the building was haunted by previous residents. Charles Cameron himself often heard unusual noises while working there, and others reported footsteps when nobody else was around, as well as the giggling of children.
The end of the museum
The museum remained popular throughout the 1980s, but the owners sold the building in 1989 for a huge sum of money. The site was converted into offices, and some of the wax figures were bought by local businesses. Apart from the memories of terrified Scots, nothing is left of the Edinburgh Wax Museum.
