Historic hall and music museum set to re-open
Scotland’s oldest purpose-built concert venue and music museum is once again opening its doors to members of the public.
St Cecilia’s Hall is home to the University’s world-class collection of musical instruments, as well as a unique oval-shaped concert room.
The hall and music museum, situated in Edinburgh’s Old Town, was forced to close to members of the public, because of Covid-19. From 3 September, it will once again welcome visitors to view its collection of instruments and learn about the history of music.
Safety measures
The museum will be open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Visitors are asked to reserve a slot ahead of their arrival. Click here to book.
A one-way system, hand-sanitising stations and thorough cleaning programme have been introduced, and visitors will be required to wear a face covering.
Additional information about the venue and musical instrument collection can be accessed by downloading the dedicated app before arriving, as museum tablet devices are currently not being used.
Incredible history
In 2017, St Cecilia’s Hall reopened after a two-year, £6.5 million renovation project.
The thoughtfully refurbished venue’s four exhibition spaces house around 400 objects from the University of Edinburgh’s extensive musical instrument collection.
The collection includes a number of world-renowned harpsichords, many of which are in playable condition.
Originally built by the Edinburgh Musical Society in 1762, the Georgian venue is a hidden gem, attracting thousands of visitors each year.
The work of the museum includes the care and conservation of rare, often fragile, instruments. The glass wall of the Dunard Conservation Studio enables visitors to see the conservator at work.
As the oldest purpose-built concert venue in Scotland, St Cecilia’s Hall is an internationally-significant attraction offering a rare glimpse into our musical past. We’re delighted to be re-opening our doors to members of the public. Rigorous safety measures will be in place to ensure the health of our staff and visitors.
Online concerts
Health and safety restrictions means that the concert hall is not yet able to welcome concert-goers to attend live musical performances in-person.
However, plans are being finalised to live-stream concerts, which will entertain music-lovers around the world, as well supporting musicians.
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