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Exhibitions Events in Edinburgh in October 2025

Scroll down to view the events taking place in Edinburgh during October 2025, or use the filters to narrow down the results.

Events in Edinburgh

Maps: Memories from the Second World War

9th March 2024 - 26th January 2026

Through personal stories, photography and memorabilia, this exhibition at the National War Museum charts the creation and use of maps during the Second World War.

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Cold War Scotland

13th July 2024 - 4th January 2026

Exploring Scotland’s critical position on the frontline of the Cold War, a new exhibition will tell the stories of the Scots at the centre of this global conflict.

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Your Art World

10th May 2025 - 2nd November 2025

Your Art World is a colourful exhibition, showcasing the artwork of creative 3–18-year-olds from across Scotland, at the National Galleries of Scotland: National.

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Hooked: 500 Years of Addiction

30th May 2025 - 13th February 2026

From heroin to gambling, from alcohol to love, explore the history of addiction at Hooked, an exhibition at the Physicians' Gallery.

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Dear Library

20th June 2025 - 18th April 2026

To mark our 100th birthday, the National Library of Scotland presents a special exhibition, 'Dear Library'.

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Resistance

21st June 2025 - 4th January 2026

Resistance explores how acts of resistance have shaped life in the UK, and the powerful role of photography in documenting and driving change.

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You Mean the World Exhibition

25th June 2025 - 18th December 2025

This exhibition explores the history of air pollution and of recycling and re-use in nursing and shows how talented nursing teams are taking climate action today.

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Monkeys: Our Primate Family

28th June 2025 - 30th November 2025

See some of the rarest and most endangered primates on Earth in 'Monkeys: Our Primate Family' at the National Museum of Scotland.

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Panorama: New Views of a City

9th July 2025 - 21st December 2025

Collective Edinburgh's Panorama programme takes inspiration from the origins of the panorama to explore how we see, move through and understand the city today.

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ARTIST ROOMS

12th July 2025 - 31st October 2025

Discover three of the biggest names in modern and contemporary art at Modern One this summer with a series of free ARTIST ROOMS displays in Edinburgh.

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IKEA: Magical Patterns

18th July 2025 - 17th January 2026

IKEA Museum's Magical Patterns exhibition comes to Dovecot Studios, celebrating 60 years of innovative textile design.

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Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years

26th July 2025 - 2nd November 2025

This summer, the largest ever indoor exhibition by Andy Goldsworthy will take over the National Galleries of Scotland in the heart of Edinburgh.

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Victoria Crowe: Shifting Surfaces

28th July 2025 - 11th October 2025

In partnership with The Scottish Gallery, Victoria Crowe's exhibition Shifting Surfaces marks a remarkable milestone in the career of one of Scotland's most distinguished contemporary artists.

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Aqsa Arif: Raindrops of Rani

1st August 2025 - 2nd November 2025

Aqsa Arif's exhibition Raindrops of Rani uses elements of South Asian folklore to explore themes of fractured identity, displacement, and cultural synthesis through fantasy and world-building.

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Robert Powell: Hall of Hours

1st August 2025 - 2nd November 2025

Hall of Hours explores time through Robert Powell's unique imagery capturing humanity's complexity, grandeur, and folly in intricate and thought-provoking compositions.

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We Are The Witches. We Are, Hear

1st August 2025 - 30th August 2026

This is an exhibition of textile artwork by 70 wise women artist using their craft to Challenge, Disturb and Disrupt. Catch it at The House of Smalls in August!

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David Mankin :: Interludes

6th September 2025 - 1st October 2025

David Mankin exhibits his work in galleries throughout the UK and his paintings are held in numerous private and public collections. 'Interludes' will be his second solo exhibition with &Gallery.

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Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture

13th September 2025 - 31st May 2026

Featuring examples of painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and photography, the exhibition at City Art Centre spans almost 400 years of artistic production.

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Recurring Themes by Keiko Mukaide and Simon Ward

18th September 2025 - 12th October 2025

Recurring Themes is a ceramics and glass exhibition which presents the intriguing and unexpected creative art works by Simon Ward and Keiko Mukaide.

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Scotland: An Inner Journey – A Photography Exhibition

19th September 2025 - 3rd October 2025

Embark on a visual journey into the soul of Scotland through the lens of Sergio Romero at the Institut Français d’Écosse!

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Patterns of Life: Jenny Martin RSW at Morningside Gallery

20th September 2025 - 5th October 2025

A new exhibition of work from Scottish artist Jenny Martin RSW, an Edinburgh-based painter and printmaker, is showing at Morningside Gallery from 20th September.

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Beneath: An Oak & Ember Exhibition

26th September 2025 - 2nd October 2025

Beneath: An Oak & Ember Exhibition, is a descent into the unseen, the buried, the hidden. Catch it at Whitespace Edinburgh!

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Parallels III

26th September 2025 - 4th October 2025

Catch Parallels III, a group exhibition showcasing the work of Anna Gormezano Marks, Fiona Luing, Jenni Colquhoun and Solii Brodie, spanning art, illustration and jewellery.

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The Art of Taking Up Space

30th September 2025 - 2nd October 2025

The Art of Taking Up Space is an exhibition by young people in Edinburgh about youth mental health. Catch it at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall!

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50 Years of Naboland and The Behrens Family

2nd October 2025 - 25th October 2025

This October, The Scottish Gallery is proud to present a landmark double exhibition: 50 Years of Naboland and The Behrens Family!

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The Joy of Noticing

2nd October 2025 - 29th October 2025

The Joy of Noticing is a new exhibition of contemporary landscape paintings by Orla Stevens, showing at Lobby 37, Gleneagles Townhouse from 2nd – 29th October.

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Beneath The Veil

3rd October 2025 - 1st November 2025

Beneath The Veil, an exhibition coinciding with World Mental Health Day, focuses on the work of artists using visual art as a means of expression, exploration, connection, release, and recovery.

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Shen Xin: Highland Embassy

3rd October 2025 - 21st December 2025

Highland Embassy brings together three projects by artist and filmmaker Shen Xin and is showing at Collective Edinburgh from October to December 2025.

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Layered Perspectives :: Susan Laughton & Bronwen Sleigh

4th October 2025 - 29th October 2025

Layered Perspectives brings together the work of Susan Laughton and Bronwen Sleigh, two artists whose practices explore the meeting points between architecture, landscape, and abstraction.

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Nature’s Palette, Linda Park & Lesley Skeates

4th October 2025 - 25th October 2025

Join us at The Atelier Gallery for Nature’s Palette, a collaborative exhibition that highlights the artistic talents of Linda Park and Lesley Skeates, two widely acclaimed artists at our gallery!

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The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show - Edinburgh

4th October 2025 - 5th October 2025

A visit to The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show at Edinburgh's Royal Highland Centre is a must if you're planning a home upgrade!

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Comic Con Scotland

11th October 2025 - 12th October 2025

Comic Con Scotland, one of Europe's largest pop culture conventions, returns to the Royal Highland Centre on 11th and 12th October 2025!

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HARVEST: Contemporary Craft Fair

11th October 2025 - 19th October 2025

Craft Scotland is delighted to present HARVEST: Contemporary Craft Fair, our new living showroom and multi-disciplinary selling exhibition, coming to the City Art Centre from 11th to 19th October.

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EXPOS3D

12th October 2025 - 18th October 2025

Step inside EXPOS3D, an immersive exhibition that fuses painting, stained glass, AI, and cutting-edge technology into an experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

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Magical Patterns: Family Craft Day

13th October 2025

Step into a world of colour, creativity and imagination at Dovecot and enjoy a visit to IKEA: Magical Patterns during our Autumn drop-in Family Craft event on 13th October!

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Vanishing Points: Art Beyond Boundaries

15th October 2025 - 21st October 2025
Edinburgh West

Marking the debut of Chrissy Moore Art Advisory, this group exhibition brings together powerful works in photography, sculpture, and painting!

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Drawing the Italian Renaissance

17th October 2025 - 1st March 2026

This exhibition at The Palace of Holyroodhouse, brings together a wide range of drawings from this revolutionary artistic period, including 45 drawings never exhibited in Scotland before.

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Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer

18th October 2025 - 19th April 2026

Take to the skies and discover the world from above the clouds through the remarkable work of Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer at the National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait.

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Picking up the Thread: The Past, Present and Future of Tapestry

20th October 2025 - 14th February 2026

Dovecot is delighted to welcome a wonderful variety of artists to show their work in The British Tapestry Group’s celebration of its 20th anniversary.

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Gudrun Sjödén: Swedish Colour & Design

26th October 2025

Join Dovecot to celebrate five decades of colourful design and unique expression by the Swedish designer and textile artist Gudrun Sjödén.

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Liminal Exhibition

30th October 2025 - 6th November 2025

Liminal is a collaborative exhibition developed by young people working with the Mental Health Foundation, Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and artist Louise Fraser!

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Sponsored Links

Murrayfield Experience
Headline PR
Wonder & Co
Edinburgh Street Historians
Hilton Glasgow
Escape The Past
Fayre Play

Exhibitions Events in East Renfrewshire

Here's a selection of Exhibitions Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On East Renfrewshire:

Drawn To Imperfection

Drawn To Imperfection

14th October 2025 - 18th October 2025

Giffnock South Parish Church are excited to host 'Drawn to Imperfection' - a touring art exhibition that brings the Bible to life in a completely new way.

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Exhibition On Screen: Young Picasso

Exhibition On Screen: Young Picasso

16th October 2025

Exhibition On Screen, the award-winning and much-loved cinematic series that explores the biographies of history's most revered artists, returns to Eastwood Park Theatre with Young Picasso!

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Exhibitions Events in Fife

Here's a selection of Exhibitions Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Fife:

From These Parts: Scotland, Art and Identity

From These Parts: Scotland, Art and Identity

18th October 2025 - 15th February 2026

Join us at Wardlaw Museum for this exhibition and uncover Scotland’s identity through the creativity of its artists!

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Classic Car Meet & Greet

Classic Car Meet & Greet

Selected dates between 13th April 2025 - 12th October 2025

Join Fife Classic Car Group for these monthly classic car meet and greet events at Fife Heritage Railway in Leven!

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Flotsam : Exhibition of Art by Riikka Palonen

Flotsam : Exhibition of Art by Riikka Palonen

1st October 2025 - 2nd November 2025

The Scottish Fisheries Museum is delighted to welcome Finnish artist and Bonemaiden, Riikka Palonen, whose work magnificently reflects her immersion in the natural world and the cycles within it.

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Exhibitions Events in Glasgow

Here's a selection of Exhibitions Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Glasgow:

Ciara Phillips - Undoing it

Ciara Phillips - Undoing it

22nd March 2025 - 26th October 2025

Undoing It at the Gallery of Modern Art is a new solo exhibition by Canadian/Irish artist Ciara Phillips, of woodcuts, etchings and screen-prints.

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Cathcart Model Railway Exhibition

Cathcart Model Railway Exhibition

25th October 2025 - 26th October 2025

The annual Cathcart Model Railway Exhibition returns to Pollokshaws Burgh Hall on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October!

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The Creative Craft Show

The Creative Craft Show

23rd October 2025 - 26th October 2025

The Creative Craft Show is set to make a grand return to the SEC Glasgow from the 23rd to 26th October featuring the popular Stitching Show!

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Exhibitions Events in Lanarkshire

Here's a selection of Exhibitions Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Lanarkshire:

Biggar Little Festival

Biggar Little Festival

17th October 2025 - 26th October 2025

One of the most eclectic festivals rural Scotland has to offer, the Biggar Little Festival offers an inspiring mix of of culture and fun for locals and visitors alike across 10 days in October!

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A Passion For Wildlife

A Passion For Wildlife

16th October 2025 - 26th October 2025

As part of Biggar Little Festival, Biggar Museum are delighted to host photographic exhibition, A Passion for Wildlife, by photographer Jean Manson.

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Biggar Little Festival Art Trail

Biggar Little Festival Art Trail

17th October 2025 - 26th October 2025

The annual Biggar Little Festival Art Trail is a road of discovery where you will find unique pieces of art, fine craftsmanship and an incredible range of skills!

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Exhibitions Events in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde

Here's a selection of Exhibitions Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Renfrewshire:

Big Art Show

Big Art Show

30th August 2025 - 15th November 2025

One of Scotland's largest open entry exhibitions, Paisley's annual Big Art Show, returns for a fourth edition from Saturday 30th August - Saturday 15th November!

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Micro Layouts Model Railway Show

Micro Layouts Model Railway Show

22nd March 2025 - 22nd March 2026

Join Renfrewshire Model Railway Club, Cupar Model Railway Club and Leven Valley Trains for the Micro Layouts Model Railway Show on Saturday 22nd March!

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Galoshans Festival

Galoshans Festival

17th October 2025 - 30th October 2025

Inverclyde's annual Galoshans Festival returns for 2025 from Friday 17th October, promising a fortnight of music, mystery, and magic!

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Exhibitions Events in Stirling

Here's a selection of Exhibitions Events you can find over on our sister site, What's On Stirling:

The Man Who Could Paint Anything – The Legacy of Thomas Stuart Smith

The Man Who Could Paint Anything – The Legacy of Thomas Stuart Smith

1st March 2023 - 1st January 2028

This exhibition showcases some of The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum’s remarkable art collection.

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Remembered: 80 years since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Remembered: 80 years since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

6th October 2025 - 14th November 2025

In the 80th year since the bombing, the University of Stirling is hosting an exhibition from the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. 

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A Bird’s Eye View on Hate Crime: Exhibition Launch

A Bird’s Eye View on Hate Crime: Exhibition Launch

16th October 2025

Learn more about 'A Bird’s Eye View on Hate Crime', the creative process, the voices behind the project, and the vision for the future, at the Exhibition Launch on 16th October at Creative Stirling!

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Events in Other Areas

Sponsored Links

Murrayfield Experience
Hilton Glasgow
Renfrewshire Council
Murrayfield Experience
TGC Leisure
Children's Classic Concerts
ATG

Sponsored Links

Murrayfield Experience
Headline PR
Wonder & Co
Edinburgh Street Historians
Hilton Glasgow
Escape The Past
Fayre Play
Murrayfield Experience
Hilton Glasgow
Renfrewshire Council
Murrayfield Experience
TGC Leisure
Children's Classic Concerts
ATG

Popular Events

Conifox Terror Scream Park
Terror Scream Park, Edinburgh’s most intense 18+ horror event, launches for the very first time this autumn at Conifox Adventure Park.
Edinburgh Summer Sessions: The Cure
The Cure, one of the most influential and iconic bands of all time, have announced they will headline a show at Edinburgh Summer Sessions on Sunday 23rd August!
War Horse
The National Theatre’s global smash-hit production of War Horse returns to the Festival Theatre in October 2025!
Halloween Happenings at Dalkeith Country Park
Join us this October for spook-tacular Halloween Happenings at Dalkeith Country Park!
Dusherra 2025
Dusherra, the flagship annual event of the Scottish Indian Arts Forum, returns on Saturday 4th October at the top of Calton Hill.

Popular Listings

Corn Exchange Haddington Edinburgh Playhouse Festival Theatre Edinburgh Howden Park Centre Livingston Kings Theatre Edinburgh National Museum of Scotland O2 Academy Edinburgh The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh Traverse Theatre Usher Hall