Maria Theresa Short (died 15 January 1869) was a Scottish entrepreneur who increased public access to scientific equipment in Edinburgh in the 19th century.
In 1776, their son, Thomas Short leased some land on Calton Hill and built a Gothic House to display his instruments to the public.
As a condition of his lease, the local council demanded that female relatives of Thomas could not inherit the building and its contents.
She set up a Popular Observatory, which she opened in a wooden hut next to the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill.
With the help of sponsors she added an extra two floors and a viewing platform with a dome housing a camera obscura.