Instruments of the past are brought to life for first time

Published on Saturday 20 October 2007 00:55

MUSEUM-GOERS are set to get the opportunity to hear Scotland's oldest collection of musical instruments for the first time.

As part of a 1 million drive to improve museums of "national significance", visitors to Edinburgh University will be given audio equipment which will play high-quality samples of the instruments as they are being viewed.

The Collection of Historical Musical Instruments, which is based at two sites in the capital, the Reid Concert Hall in Bristo Square and St Cecilia's Hall Museum of Instruments in Niddry Street, contains about 3,000 items..

Instruments range from an Italian harpsichord dated at 1586, a hurdy-gurdy from revolution-era France to mouth organs from 19th century China. The museum has received 34,310 for the audio guide project.

In June, the Scottish Government launched a 1 million fund aimed at bringing to wider awareness the quality and range of independent or locally funded museums and galleries.

The instrument collection was one of ten to initially gain special status as part of the new Recognition Scheme.

Seven more collections have now been identified.

They include Edinburgh's Museum of Childhood, the Scottish Art Collection in Edinburgh's City Art Centre, Perth and Kinross Council's Museums and Art Galleries, the Farming Museum Collection in Aberdeen, the Scottish Mining Museum at Newtongrange and Aberdeen University's collected artefacts.