Frequently Asked Questions

The Anatomist Escape Room is suitable for groups of 2 to 8 people. The Deacon's Cabinet is suitable for groups of 2 to 6. We can therefore accommodate groups of up to 14 people across both rooms. Please contact us if you'd like to book both rooms together. We find that larger groups have the greatest chance of success, so bring your friends!

Our outdoor escape room 'City Trails' are suitable for groups of up to 30 people. In total, we can accommodate groups of up to 45 people at once, across our entire estate.

Yes, you can add extra group members up to the maximum capacity of each room. Drop us an email: info@escapethepast.co.uk and we'll send you a link to pay the difference. We are unable to accept payments on site, so please ensure you have paid for any additional group members before you arrive. We regret this it isn't possible to remove group members once a booking has been made.

Yes, we just require 48 hours notice to change the date or time of your booking. Drop us an email at info@escapethepast.co.uk and we'll do the rest. Unfortunately we are unable to reschedule if we receive the request with less than 48 hours before the booking is due to take place. Please note that refunds are not possible in any circumstance. For more details please refer to our Terms & Conditions.

Due to the macabre themes, 'The Anatomist' Escape Room is not recommended for those under 12 years while 'The Deacon's Cabinet' is not recommended for those under 10. However, these are guidelines rather than a strict rules and we leave it up to parental discretion. If you'd like more information on suitability, feel free to email us: info@escapethepast.co.uk. Each group must contain at least one adult over the age of 18 who must be physically present in the room.

No, for health and safety reasons at no point will you be physically locked in. While the focus of some escape rooms is on escaping, we create immersive experiences that challenge you to solve a historical mystery.

Disabled access can usually be arranged given prior notice - please ensure you complete the relevant box at the time of booking.

While we wish to be as inclusive as possible, we are constrained by our basement location and the age of the building we occupy. Those attending in a wheelchair will need to ensure the chair can fit through a doorway 72cm wide. Please note that not all aspects of the game may be accessible for those with physical disabilities. If you need any more information, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Please ensure your whole group arrives 10 minutes before your Escape Room booking. For City Trails bookings, please aim to arrive promptly at the time that your game is due to begin. We regret that we cannot accommodate late arrivals.

All our escape room bookings are private. We never combine groups, so you'll be descending into Edinburgh's dark past all by yourselves... Good luck!

Because Saturdays are peak times for larger groups, we prioritise 'The Anatomist' for bookings of 3 or more people on these days. So bring your friends, try another day, or book The Deacon's Cabinet - perfect for smaller groups and always bookable as a group of 2.

While our aim is to create a vivid historical setting and explore themes that were very real during the the 19th Century, the story itself and characters featured in The Anatomist escape room are a work of fiction.

Yes! The Deacon's Cabinet escape room is based on the true story of the life, crimes and ultimate demise of Edinburgh's Deacon William Brodie - the real life inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Jekyll and Hyde'.

The theme of our escape rooms are quite dark and mysterious, but the rooms are more 'creepy' than overtly scary. Nevertheless, you should expect some gore and the odd unexpected surprise... If you're of a particularly nervous disposition, please let our gamesmaster know when you arrive.

The Anatomist escape room explores themes of grave robbery, medical dissection and contains gore.
The Deacon's Cabinet escape room involves themes of execution by hanging, gambling and firearms.

We do have a toilet on site but we ask that you use the toilet in advance whenever possible.  If you do intend on using the toilet, it is essential that your group arrives on time (i.e. 10 minutes before the start time of your scheduled booking).

We suggest wearing comfortable clothing but if you want to dress up like it’s 1829 we won’t judge.

Yes! We're a very popular Edinburgh escape room for Stag and Hen events. We just ask that you don't attend if under the influence of alcohol, and follow all instructions given to you by our Gamesmaster.

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