National Piping Centre

About the museum

The National Piping Centre was established in 1996 to promote the study of the music and history of the Highland bagpipe. It occupies the former Cowcaddens Free Church on McPhater Street in Glasgow, a listed building that now holds a teaching centre, a performance and events venue, a hotel and the Pipers' Tryst restaurant, as well as the Museum of Piping.

The museum follows about 300 years of Scotland's piping heritage, including 18th-century Scottish bagpipes, other European bagpipes, instruments and items linked to famous pipers, and the competitive tradition of the Highland pipes. Films explain the history, culture and music of the bagpipe, and visitors can try the instrument themselves.

In 2018 the National Piping Centre took over the College of Piping, which had been founded on Otago Street in Glasgow in 1944 by Seumas MacNeill and Tommy Pearston. For more than seventy years the college taught piping, collected and displayed piping artefacts and published the Piping Times magazine, which began in 1948. The Otago Street building is now a second campus of the National Piping Centre and the home of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland.

Highlights

• Museum of Piping on 300 years of bagpipe history
• Films on the history, culture and music of the bagpipe
• Come and Try sessions to make your first sounds on a practice chanter
• Meet the Piper tours with live piping
• Pipers' Tryst restaurant in the same building

Permanent exhibition

• Museum of Piping – About 300 years of Scotland's piping heritage, with historic bagpipes, films on the culture and music of the bagpipe and the chance to try the instrument.

Founded

1996

Operated by

The National Piping Centre (registered charity no. SC020391)

Admission & discounts

The museum describes general admission as a small donation of £5 at reception. Come and Try sessions give a private tour and a first lesson on the practice chanter. Meet the Piper tours were listed for Fridays and Saturdays at 12:00 from 3 April to 31 July.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

The Pipers' Tryst restaurant and hotel are in the same building; the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and afternoon tea.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Two venues are offered for weddings, celebrations, conferences and performances. The Museum of Piping can host funeral receptions for 10 to 30 people and the Pipers' Tryst restaurant holds 20 to 40.

Plan your visit