National Piping Centre, Museum and school of bagpipes in Cowcaddens, Scotland.
The National Piping Centre is a museum and school dedicated to bagpipes, located in a converted church building in Glasgow. It holds historical bagpipes, manuscripts, and medals spanning three centuries of Scottish musical tradition, including European bagpipe variations.
The center was established in 1996 and operates from a former church building that had previously served its original purpose. This conversion links the structure's religious past with the preservation of one of Scotland's oldest musical traditions.
The name reflects Scotland's long connection to bagpipe playing, a tradition rooted deep in Highland culture. You will see students and visitors engaged with the instrument in ways that show how it remains a living practice, not just a historical artifact.
The building is accessible on weekdays during regular hours, with reduced hours on weekends. It is worth allowing sufficient time for your visit, especially if you want to participate in hands-on demonstrations or introductory sessions with staff.
The collection includes the Iain Dall MacKay Chanter, a pipe component recognized as one of the oldest bagpipe parts in existence. This rare artifact demonstrates how far back the instrumental tradition stretches in history.
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