Choose your own adventure through colourful transformation at Edinburgh children’s hospital
An ambitious new art project has transformed previously plain, windowless clinical spaces at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People into colourful worlds of adventure, helping children and young people feel more relaxed on their journey to theatre.
Fife-based artist Lauren Morsley has created almost 600 square metres of vibrant artwork throughout Crichton Ward and the adjoining Theatre Suite at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP), Edinburgh.
Delivered through NHS Lothian Charity’s Tonic Arts programme, and funded by partners Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and Coldstones Charitable Trust, the project has been designed to make the environment welcoming and child-friendly, provide distraction for children awaiting surgery and contribute to the wellbeing of the staff who work in the windowless departments.
Built around the theme ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’, the artwork creates a journey through the hospital, allowing young patients to travel between imaginative landscapes and encounter a cast of colourful characters along the way.
Children can choose a character to accompany them on their journey, imagine themselves within the different worlds and discover new details as they move from the ward towards theatre.
The adventure begins in patient bedrooms, clinic rooms, interview rooms and the parent waiting area, where images celebrate different forms of travel, from hot air balloons and trains to bicycles, birds and changing weather.
As patients move closer to theatre, the journey launches into space, with rockets, distant planets and stars transforming corridors and waiting areas. Doors become imaginary portals to new worlds before children arrive in adventure realms featuring underwater scenes, jungles, Scottish hills, meadows and forests.
After surgery, the story changes pace. Recovery spaces become calming ‘post-adventure’ zones, with characters sleeping, reading, playing games and relaxing alongside the children as they recover.
The designs were informed by consultation and co-creation sessions with patients, giving children and young people an opportunity to share what they would like to see within the spaces.
I am so proud of this project and the difference it has already made to patients and staff. I absolutely loved being able to incorporate some of the children’s ideas into the designs and working with the staff throughout the project has been a dream. I feel we’ve all created something really special in this space that hopefully inspires other similar projects to happen.”– Lauren Morsley, Artist
Early feedback from patients, families and staff has highlighted not only the visual transformation but the practical role the artwork is already playing in making hospital experiences easier.“It’s lovely, and not overwhelming. I’m 15 and it’s not too young because it’s stylised and graphic, which appeals to teenagers. It makes it seem more of a relaxing space rather than another waiting area. It’s good to have a distraction from my operation.”
15 year old, Patient
“You go off on a wee adventure while you’re waiting!”
Young Patient
“The images are great and make the ward seem a fun place to be in. We were all a bit anxious coming in here today, but when we saw the walls all our worries left us!”
Parent
“Definitely feels much less like a hospital! We were apprehensive about coming here, so seeing all the walls covered in animals and plants makes us it feel much easier. If we feel relaxed our child will feel relaxed too.”
Parent
“Walking through to theatre I talk about our journey, referring to the spaceships. It helps to get children to theatre distracted.”
Staff Member
“It’s more child friendly and more welcoming for children to come into. I use the wall images as a distraction when taking children to theatre. I just love it!”
Play Specialist
The project was officially celebrated at a launch event on 25 September 2026, following installation of the artwork across the summer.
The transformation has been made possible through partnership working and charitable support, alongside investment from NHS budgets.
With many thanks to our partners: Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity and generous donors including Coldstones Charitable Trust, who supported the project.