Where
The Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments is housed in two museums: the Reid Concert Hall Museum of Instruments, and St Cecilia's Hall Museum of Instruments, which keeps keyboards.
What
"The Reid Concert Hall Museum is where we display and study all our orchestral and band instruments," says Arnold Myers, the professor of organology and the director of the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments.
Opened
1859.
Collections
Woodwind and brass of world importance.
Help at hand
"We have made considerable progress over the last 40 years as a result of volunteer enthusiasm," reports Myers. There is one full-time member of staff.
Budget
"We receive support from the Scottish Funding Council. Our budget is difficult to determine, since expenditure is lumped in with other university facilities," Myers says.
Visits
"We are naughty and don't count visitor numbers," confesses Myers. "We open when there are concerts in the hall and people arrive all at once."
Highlights
"The Anton Schnitzer sackbut or trombone from 1594 is one of our pride and joys," says Myers. "It's the only one in Britain." The museum also boasts a 17th-century cornet and an 18th-century baroque violin. "Another of our unique toys is the contrabass serpent from the 1840s," says Myers. "It is twice the size of a standard serpent and extremely impressive." The collection's website has a sound file of the serpent.
Survival tips
"Infectious enthusiasm and hard work," says Myers.
Current projects
"We are installing sound guides and wondering why we did not do it long ago," Myers says. The museum has funding for a part-time learning and access officer. Last year it won Heritage Lottery Fund Collecting Cultures money until 2013 to build up its bagpipe collection. It is also a partner in Musical Instruments Museums Online, an International Council of Museums-funded project to put content on the web.
The Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments is housed in two museums: the Reid Concert Hall Museum of Instruments, and St Cecilia's Hall Museum of Instruments, which keeps keyboards.
What
"The Reid Concert Hall Museum is where we display and study all our orchestral and band instruments," says Arnold Myers, the professor of organology and the director of the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments.
Opened
1859.
Collections
Woodwind and brass of world importance.
Help at hand
"We have made considerable progress over the last 40 years as a result of volunteer enthusiasm," reports Myers. There is one full-time member of staff.
Budget
"We receive support from the Scottish Funding Council. Our budget is difficult to determine, since expenditure is lumped in with other university facilities," Myers says.
Visits
"We are naughty and don't count visitor numbers," confesses Myers. "We open when there are concerts in the hall and people arrive all at once."
Highlights
"The Anton Schnitzer sackbut or trombone from 1594 is one of our pride and joys," says Myers. "It's the only one in Britain." The museum also boasts a 17th-century cornet and an 18th-century baroque violin. "Another of our unique toys is the contrabass serpent from the 1840s," says Myers. "It is twice the size of a standard serpent and extremely impressive." The collection's website has a sound file of the serpent.
Survival tips
"Infectious enthusiasm and hard work," says Myers.
Current projects
"We are installing sound guides and wondering why we did not do it long ago," Myers says. The museum has funding for a part-time learning and access officer. Last year it won Heritage Lottery Fund Collecting Cultures money until 2013 to build up its bagpipe collection. It is also a partner in Musical Instruments Museums Online, an International Council of Museums-funded project to put content on the web.
Links
www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/
www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/