 | THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH |
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Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, U.K.
www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/rch
The Collection was established as the Music Classroom Museum by Professor John Donaldson (1845-1865) who built its present gallery. It was substantially augmented by the Galpin Society in the period 1969-1980 and re-established as the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments in 1980.
The Reid Concert Hall Museum of Instruments is a Fully Accredited Museum with the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA).
Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments was one of the first ten musuem collections in Scotland
recognised by the Scottish Executive as a Significant Collection.
| On display are 1000 items including
stringed, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments from Britain,
Europe and from distant lands. The instrumental history of the
Orchestra, the Wind Band, Theatre, Dance, Popular Music, Parlour Music,
Brass Bands, etc is exemplified by the instruments on display,
which include many beautiful examples of the instrument-maker's art over
the past 400 years.
There is currently a special exhibition of clarinets, basset horns and other instruments from the Sir Nicholas Shackleton Collection, showing 250 years of clarinet history. (Please note that our plucked string instruments (harps, lutes, guitars, etc) are now displayed at St Cecilia's Hall Museum of Instruments). The Collection is housed in purpose-built galleries of 1859 in the Reid Concert Hall at the south-west corner of Bristo Square, Teviot Place, Edinburgh. The museum retains a Victorian atmosphere, and gives a feeling of discovery as one explores its crowded 1859 showcases. Perform your own experiments in The Sound Laboratory interactive exploration area. Experience The Demonstrations of instruments in the Collection with sounds of instruments being played. Sound guides are available on request in the galleries - hear musicians talking about and playing the instruments ! Catalogues, technical drawings, recordings, and a Guide to the Collection are on sale. The Museum is open to the public twice weekly:
The Museum is additionally open to the public for the period of the Edinburgh International and Fringe Festivals (7 August - 4 September 2010):
The Museum is also open before, and during the interval of, public concerts held in the Reid Concert Hall. There is no charge for entry. Special visits outside these times, and party visits with guided tours Access: Enter from Bristo Square. The museum has a self-operable chair lift at the entrance. Assistance is available if required. Once past the entrance, the museum is on one level. Car parking is available for visitors with mobility limitations. Please contact the museum staff in advance for directions. |
the Museum entrance is to the left |
See Information about Travelling to and from The University of Edinburgh with further maps.
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Link to other University of Edinburgh museums and galleries
The Reid Concert Hall Museum of Instruments and the St Cecilia's Hall Museum of Instruments operate along with the Talbot Rice Gallery under the umbrella of the Collections Division of Edinburgh University Libraries, Museums and Galleries. The name "Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments" refers to both the University's instrument museums considered together.
The purpose of the Collection is to promote the study of the history, construction and functions of instruments of music and all cognate matters, the furtherance of research and the propagation of knowledge of instrumental history.
Communications about the contents of these pages
All material on this website is
copyright.
This page updated: 12.11.09
© Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, 1995-2008, 2009.