Curious Edinburgh vs Digital Documentation
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Curious Edinburgh
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Are you interested in the fascinating and important scientific, medical and technological heritage of the city of Edinburgh? From Darwin to Dolly the sheep our app will allow you to explore some of the places associated with major scientific and medical discoveries and personalities, as well as some that are less famous, but deserve to be more widely known. We have sought out stories from the history of science in Edinburgh which will inspire, inform and amuse both visitors and residents of the city. You can visit the places in our tour in an order that suits you, although the numbering suggests an order that would be convenient for a visitor to the city on foot. We estimate that to see all the places on the tour should take approximately three hours, but you may choose to visit only those which are of special interest to you. You can create your own itinerary based on your interests and the amount of time you have available. The map will help you find the places and orientate yourself in the city. All the stops on our tour are within walking distance from Waverley station and the city centre, although for a few of the more distant ones some visitors may prefer to use Edinburgh’s excellent bus services. Accessibility Statement: http://curiousedinburgh.org/accessibility-statement
Digital Documentation
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Discover the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) by exploring the 3D models of Rosslyn Chapel and the Nagasaki Giant Cantilever Crane. Use this app in conjunction with our Short Guide historicenvironment.scot/dd-short-guide ABOUT THE SHORT GUIDE: Historic Environment Scotland’s free Short Guide, ‘Applied Digital Documentation in the Historic Environment’ looks at different data capture techniques that can be used in the analysis, recording, conservation and visualisation of historic objects, sites and landscapes in their present condition. Its’ case studies outlines the uses and applications of potentially vast, multi-layered datasets. Each section within the guide will present best practices, as well as fundamental principles that will assist those looking to undertake digital documentation. For the AR triggers, please view pages 84 and 85 within the guide. ABOUT ROSSLYN CHAPEL: Rosslyn Chapel is a late medieval, listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument located in the village of Roslin, near Edinburgh. The Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation LLP (CDDV) is a partnership between Historic Environment Scotland and The Glasgow School of Art. Since 2008, CDDV has digitally documented the interior and exterior of Rosslyn Chapel using cutting-edge laser scanning technologies and 360° panoramic photography; the 3D laser scan data was later developed into a photorealistic, virtual 3D model of the chapel. ABOUT THE NAGASAKI CRANE: The Giant Cantilever Crane is situated at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan. It is a major landmark in a city with strong historical links to Scotland. The crane itself was designed by the Glasgow Electric Crane and Hoist Company, and constructed by the Motherwell Bridge Company. The Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation LLP (CDDV) 3D laser scanned the crane as part of the Scottish Ten project, which digitally documented Scotland’s then five World Heritage Sites and a further five international heritage sites. FEEDBACK WELCOME: We are always happy to receive feedback, so please do send your thoughts and ideas on how we can improve this app to digital@hes.scot.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Curious Edinburgh at every 7 months against Digital Documentation's every 37 months. Digital Documentation's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Curious Edinburgh ships an update every 7 months, Digital Documentation every 37 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Curious Edinburgh | Digital Documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months — better | Every 37 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 122 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The University of Edinburgh | Historic Environment Scotland |
In-app purchases
Curious Edinburgh
No in-app purchases
Digital Documentation
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Curious Edinburgh free?
Is Digital Documentation free?
Do Curious Edinburgh or Digital Documentation have ads?
Which is updated more often, Curious Edinburgh or Digital Documentation?
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