Edinburgh Futures Institute

The former Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh building was officially opened on Lauriston Place in 29 October 1879. 

Today the venue is the home to the Edinburgh Futures Institute, a forward-looking space that combines multiple disciplines, technology, and community interaction to tackle big issues of the day, from AI to planetary health.

Mathematics, data-crunching, and informatics are mainstays of the EFI, and it draws on the brain power of its Edinburgh University family. But it also looks for inspiration from the broader community, partnering with Edinburgh's creative circles and festivals, to predict potential future pathways and outcomes.

The Edinburgh Futures Institute is the home of the Edinburgh International Book Festival from 2024.