Musical Instrument Collections in Digital Transformation: Research, Access, and Museum Ethics
We are delighted to announce the 2026 ICOM MUSIC Annual Meeting will take place at St Cecilia’s Hall 3-5 September 2026.
Registration is now open. To book your ticket, click the button below.
The theme examines the challenges and opportunities that digital technologies bring to musical instrument collections and will be a unique opportunity to come together, share ideas, and engage in meaningful discussions within our common field of interest.
Paper sessions will begin in the morning of Thursday, 3 September, and the day will close with a welcome reception. Additional paper sessions, presentations, and musical demonstrations and performances will take place on Friday 4 September and Saturday 5 September. A closing banquet will take place in the evening of Saturday 5 September.
To support a more equitable conference, we are pleased to announce that the conference sessions will be offered in a hybrid format. Links for free online participation will be provided a few days prior to the conference upon registration.
The call for papers is now closed.
About the venue
St Cecilia’s Hall is the oldest purpose-built concert hall in Scotland and home to the University of Edinburgh’s musical instrument museum. It is an inclusive, welcoming museum and performance space, with a world-class musical instrument collection as the centrepiece of research, teaching and conservation, and event programmes that help people learn about, and be inspired by, music.
Practical information
Getting to Edinburgh:
Edinburgh is well connected to the world via air or train.
By air – Edinburgh airport is serviced by most air carriers. Once you have arrived, you can get to the city centre via the Edinburgh Tram or via a Lothian Bus Service. The 100 Airport Link bus is the expedited bus to the city centre. You can find more information via the Bus & Tram app. Both services offer contactless payment option. For the tram, be sure to tap the payment kiosk before getting on the tram and after exiting. The bus can be paid with the driver. Please note, you can pay in cash for the bus, but the driver will not give change, so you need the exact fare. Bus tickets can be purchase in advance via the Bus & Tram app.
By train – the main train station is Waverley Station, which is in the heart of the city centre.
Getting around:
Depending on where you plan to stay, Edinburgh is a city best explore by foot and most locations are within walking distance. For locations slightly further away, there is an extensive bus system. There are also e-bikes available for hire throughout the city. Additionally, black cabs are available for hire and Uber is an option.
Please note, Edinburgh is a city built on a series of hills, so walking in the city often involves changes in elevation or stairs. If you have mobility issues, please consider using the bus network.
Although there are options to hire a car, St Cecilia’s Hall does not have parking facilities and parking in the city centre can be prohibitively expensive. We would encourage conference attendees to utilise public transit.
Accommodation and hotels:
Edinburgh is a highly popular tourist destination, with a consistently high demand for accommodation. As a result, hotel room rates tend to be on the expensive side and options in the city centre can be limited at times. We strongly recommend booking your accommodation as soon as possible.
University accommodation: The conference has secured a block of rooms in the University dormitories at Pollock Halls, adjacent to the spectacular Holyrood Park. The accommodation is a 30 minute walk from St Cecilia’s Hall or a short bus ride. These are single occupancy, “ensuite” rooms (private bathroom) with breakfast included. There are 15 rooms booked from 2-6 September (4 nights) and an additional 5 rooms from 3-6 September (3 nights). The cost is £106 per night. If you would like to reserve a room, please contact Sarah.Deters@ed.ac.uk.
