Visiting our museum
Opening Hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – 10:00 – 17:00 – Last entry at 16:30
Wednesday – 10:00 – 17:00 – Last entry at 16:30
Thursday -10:00 – 17:00 – Last entry at 16:30
Friday – 10:00 – 17:00 – Last entry at 16:30
Saturday – 10:00 – 17:00 – Last entry at 16:30
Sunday – Closed
Edinburgh Fringe 2025
Concerts
From Cleopatra with Vengeance, an Abbreviated Opera | Friday 8th August | 11:30 & 15:00 | £15 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
A one-hour reduction of Handel’s most performed opera, Giulio Cesare.
Sounds of St Cecilia’s I: Clair-Obscur | Saturday 9th August | 15:00 | £5/15 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
Alongside Bach’s keyboard suites, Khou has adapted for harpsichord some particularly touching pieces by Marais and Weis. Supported by the Keyboard Charitable Trust.
Classical Bagpipe Music – Scotland’s Hidden Treasure | Sunday 10th August | 19:30 | £12/15 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
In this concert, you will hear a variety of piobaireachd, the classical music of the great Highland bagpipe, Scotland’s national instrument.
Attila the Stockbroker’s Early Music Show | Tuesday 12th & Friday 22nd August | 14:00 | Free | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
Back by popular demand, the self-taught and self-proclaimed David Munrow of punk brings his Early Music Show to the beautiful surroundings of St Cecilia’s Hall for the fourth time.
Sounds of St Cecilia’s II: Delights for Violin and Harpsichord | Wednesday 13th August | 15:00 | £5/15 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
George Weir, a young violinist at present studying at the RCS in Glasgow, performs music for violin and harpsichord by Bach (Sonata in G BWV 1021), Handel (Sonata in D major) and Corelli (Sonata op. 6 no. 5), as well as an unaccompanied violin piece by the little-known Austrian composer Johann Vilsmayr. John Kitchen accompanies on the 1755 Kirkman harpischord.
Sounds of St Cecilia’s III: The Early Jazz Clarinet | Friday 15th August | 15:00 | £5/15 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
This concert will pay homage to jazz clarinettists of the 1920/30s including Benny Goodman and Barney Bigard. Featuring an exciting young trio of Glasgow’s finest jazz musicians: Tom Gibbs (clarinet), Alex Handyside (guitar) and Timmy Allan (bass).
Edinburgh Renaissance Band: Viol Rackett Show | Sunday 17th August | 15:00 | £10 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Renaissance Band with the Edinburgh Early Dancers return for 2025 with a lively performance of their ever-popular Viol Rackett Show, our best-loved programme of music and dance from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
Sounds of St Cecilia’s IV: L’Homme Armé | Wednesday 20th August | 15:00 | £5/15 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
At the Heart of the Hundred Years’ War. An exploration of the music heard during the period of the Hundred Year War – spanning from Burgundy, the Flemish region and England. Programme includes music by Guillaume de Machaut, Gilles Binchois, Guillaume Dufay and more.
Meraviglia d’Amore: The Wonder of Love | Thursday 21st August | 13:00 & 15:00 | £10/16/20 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
Be transported to 17th century Venice, Naples… baroque into the 20th century. Packed delighted audiences in 2024. Exciting new programme with beautiful music by the greats – Monteverdi, Caccini, Ferrari, Lundi, Velasquez, Falvo and more.
Sounds of St Cecilia’s V: The Art of the Arranger | Saturday 23rd August | 15:00 | £5/15 | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
The critically acclaimed team of McDonald and Kitchen perform virtuoso works for recorder with continuo and obbligato harpsichord by Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann and Corelli, which also exist in alternative versions.
Events
Highlight Tours of St Cecilia’s Hall | Friday 1st-Saturday 23rd August | 14:00 | Pay What You Can | Tickets either via Eventbrite or via the Edinburgh Fringe
Join us on these guided tours of the musical treasures on display at St Cecilia’s Hall, Scotland’s oldest concert hall and home to the University of Edinburgh’s Musical Instrument Collection. Topics and guides vary daily – see the schedule below for details.
Children’s Show – Magical Melodies: Musical Storytelling | Tuesday 5th August | 11:00 | Pay What You Can | Tickets via the Edinburgh Fringe
Join storyteller and musician Ailsa Dixon in the music museum St Cecilia’s Hall for a fun-filled, family-friendly romp through myth and legend.
Talk Series: Jacobites, Italians and Music in Edinburgh | Thursday 14th August | 18:00 | Pay What You Can | Tickets via Eventbrite or the Edinburgh Fringe
Join Dr Brianna Robertson-Kirkland as she explores the story of the first generation of the Corris through images, storytelling and song.
South Asian Heritage Month Community Day | Saturday 16th August | 10:00-16:00 | FREE (donation welcome) | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join us for our first ever South Asian Heritage Month Community Day! We have a great line-up of performers, workshops and tours to showcase the vibrant and diverse practices that are tied to our collections are still very much alive today. There will also be a mehndi artist on site, and our various family trails available as well. Tickets are free, but we encourage you to book ahead to avoid any disappointment! All performances and workshops are drop-in and will be first come, first served.
2025 Weekly Tours
July Tour Dates
Wednesday 2nd July | 14:00 | FREE | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join David to learn about all things keyboard to pipes.
Friday 11th July | 14:00 | FREE | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join Dona to learn all about our early keyboard collection.
Saturday 19th July | 14:00 | FREE | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join Jim to learn about how playing in a group setting works.
Thursday 24th July | 14:00 | FREE | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join Claire to learn all about some of the oldest keyed instruments in our collection.
Amplifying Voices: Shining a Light on St Cecilia’s South Asian Collection
South Asian Heritage Month Community Day | Saturday 16th August | 10:00-16:00 | FREE (donations welcome) | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join us for our first ever South Asian Heritage Month Community Day! We have a great line-up of performers, workshops and tours to showcase the vibrant and diverse practices that are tied to our collections are still very much alive today. There will also be a mehndi artist on site, and our various family trails available as well. Tickets are free, but we encourage you to book ahead to avoid any disappointment! All performances and workshops are drop-in and will be first come, first served.
Concerts at St Cecilia’s Hall
U3A Ukulele Group Children’s Concert | Tuesday 1st July 2025 | 14:00-14:45 | FREE | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join U3A Ukulele Group for their Children’s Concert, featuring many beloved children’s classics. Let your little ones join in with the music with shakers, little drums, guiros, and claves, and plenty of room to wiggle and dance!
St Cecilia’s Informal Talk Series 2025
Talk Series: Jacobites, Italians and Music in Edinburgh | Thursday 14th August | 18:00-19:00 | £5 or Pay What You Can | Tickets via Eventbrite or the Edinburgh Fringe
Join Dr Brianna Robertson-Kirkland as she explores the story of the first generation of the Corris through images, storytelling and song.
From the Italian Jacobite court to Edinburgh’s St Cecilia’s Hall, in 1771, Charles Edward Stuart’s personal musicians, Domenico and Francesca Corri, travelled with their brother/brother-in-law, John, to start a new musical life in Scotland. Despite their Jacobite links Roman Catholic faith, and many scandals that included bankruptcy and legal battles, they emerged as one of the most important and powerful musical families in Scotland. Indeed, their story reveals much about Edinburgh’s musical history.
Family Activities
U3A Ukulele Group Children’s Concert | Tuesday 1st July 2025 | 14:00-14:45 | FREE | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join U3A Ukulele Group for their Children’s Concert, featuring many beloved children’s classics. Let your little ones join in with the music with shakers, little drums, guiros, and claves, and plenty of room to wiggle and dance!
Summer Family Trail | 26th June – 30th August 2025 | 10:00-16:00 | FREE | Tickets via Eventbrite
Join us this Summer for a free, fun Summer-themed family trail!
Following the usual route around the museum, see if you can spot all 8 buckets & spades hidden throughout the galleries and answer some music-related questions to win a Summer-themed sticker at the end!
Children’s Trail – Explore the Instruments at St Cecilia’s Hall | FREE
Join Tutti, a tiny, curious bird, on a musical adventure through St Cecilia’s Hall!
In music, tutti means “all together”—just like an orchestra playing in harmony. Following Tutti’s trail, you can discover the hidden wonders of eight instruments across the galleries. Along the way, little explorers can bring the trail to life with their own colours, filling the pages with creativity. A celebratory stamp awaits those who complete the trail!
This children’s trail is a collaborative project between Sarah Martin, an artist from the University of Edinburgh, and students on the MScR Collections and Curating Practices postgraduate course at the University of Edinburgh.
Family Programme
Families and children of all ages are always welcome at St Cecilia’s Hall. Come and have fun together while learning about the history of musical instruments.
Our children’s tour can help introduce the instruments to young children while our hands-on interactive ‘discover drawers’ allow visitors both young and old the opportunity to uncover how instruments work.
Children can explore the museum with our Discovery Trail – ask for it at the front desk when you arrive!
Our other children’s trail – “Explore the Instruments at St Cecilia’s Hall”- is available at the front desk or online!
We run a wide range of practical, hands-on workshops, led by musical instrument specialists throughout the year. Look at the Upcoming Events section below to see when the next activity is taking place or contact SCHevents@ed.ac.uk for more information.
In addition, tours or other activities can be arranged to cater for special interests and a varied needs. Please contact SCHgroupvisits@ed.ac.uk for more information.
Venue Hire
St Cecilia’s Hall, located off the iconic Royal Mile in Edinburgh’s Old Town provides contemporary facilities and comfort, within the stunning 1763 heritage building, uniquely home to a world class collection of musical instruments.
We welcome bookings for events that support the museum’s core purpose as a concert hall for live music, and museum of music and musical instruments.
We have two separate spaces available for hire to suit a range of events / activities and budgets:
The Sypert Concert Room (first floor) – max capacity 180 (this number includes all staffing/performers/speakers etc).
The Laigh Hall* (ground floor) – for receptions/refreshments max capacity 80.
* Note that the Laigh Hall itself is divided in 2 by a glass wall creating 2 spaces, both these spaces comprise the Laigh Hall.
Please note absolutely no catering is permitted in the Sypert Concert Room however refreshments can be served in the ground floor Laigh Hall and Historic Foyer. Catering must be arranged separately by the client as St Cecilia’s does not provide this service.
If you would like to enquire about venue hire at St. Cecilia’s full details and prices are available here or email us for more details: SCHEvents@ed.ac.uk