St Cecilias Hall

The beautiful, elliptical St Cecilia's Hall dates back to 1763, making it the oldest purpose-built concert hall in Scotland.

About St Cecilias Hall

	St Cecilia’s Hall Niddry Street, Edinburgh Old Town EH1 1NQ
	01316512189
	St Cecilias Hall Website
	Facebook information can be found here
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Listed Under Attractions - Live Music Venues / Attractions - Museums

Designed by Robert Mylne for the Edinburgh Musical Society, St Cecilia's Hall is now home to the University of Edinburgh's collection of keyboard instruments. This Edinburgh First venue provides a stunning setting for all manner of events, in particular musical performances, recitals, conferences and other special occasions.

About the museum

History

Originally opened in 1763 , St Cecilia’s Hall is the oldest purpose-built concert hall in Scotland. It is the only place in the world where it is possible to hear eighteenth century music in an eighteenth century concert hall played on eighteenth century instruments. Owned by The University of Edinburgh, it contains one of the world’s most important collections of historic musical instruments, many of which remain playable in a concert setting.

The new St Cecilia’s Hall museum brings this collection under one roof, allowing the story of the collection as a whole to be presented and enabling visitors to truly engage with the objects and their stories. The elegant oval concert hall on the first floor of the building has been in continuous use since it opened in the eighteenth century and remains at the heart of the Georgian building, but is now complemented by four galleries on both ground and first floor. The restoration work, which began work in 2015, allows the University to offer more performances, enhance access by increasing the opening hours of the museum and provide new ways for more visitors to engage, participate and learn about its world-class collection of instruments.

The museum re-opened its doors to the public in May 2017.

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Upcoming Events at St Cecilias Hall

Music

Debussy’s Romantic Piano by Candlelight: Clair de Lune

14th February 2025

St Cecilias Hall, Edinburgh Old Town

This Valentine's Day, award-winning pianist Matthew Shiel plays the most romantic piano pieces ever composed!

Music

Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera

14th February 2025

St Cecilias Hall, Edinburgh Old Town

Usher Hall emerging artists Ines Mayhew-Begg and Matthew Shiel perform the greatest love story ever told on Valentine's Day!

Music

April’s Follies: Concert with Héloïse Bernard, Annemarie Klein and Jan Waterfield

1st April 2025

St Cecilias Hall, Edinburgh Old Town

Follies can be pleasant, painful and everything in-between. This programme at St Cecilia's Hall on Tuesday 1st April, celebrates some of these musical depictions!

Music

Mujie Yan plays Handel and Rameau

24th April 2025

St Cecilias Hall, Edinburgh Old Town

Join the Institut français d’Écosse for this concert at St Cecilia’s Hall on 24th April, as Mujie Yan guides us through a captivating harpsichord programme!

Music

Maxim Emelyanychev plays Mozart

10th May 2025

St Cecilias Hall, Edinburgh Old Town

Join Maxim Emelyanychev for a very special evening of Mozart celebration and final concert of the Baroque Music Festival at St Cecilia's Hall on 10th May!

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