Let us take you on a musical journey – see, and of course hear, Northumberland’s rich history
Discover Northumberland’s signature sound – the Northumbrian small pipes – we’re the only county in England with our very own musical instrument.
A key part of our collections, the bagpipes are located at Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum – the first bagpipe museum in the UK.
Hear the iconic sound of the Northumbrian small pipes and discover piping traditions from across the world.
Our display is made up of the William Alfred Cocks bagpipe collection, over 120 sets of pipes from across Europe and beyond – from Inverness to India! The Northumbrian small pipes are shown next to their more famous cousins the Great Highland War pipes, but you can see pipes from France, Italy, Spain, Estonia, the Czech Republic, India and Pakistan – so plan a visit today.
Elsewhere in the Trust, visitors can see brass and silver instruments from the local colliery bands, as well as Italian mandolins and the Berwick Boys Brigade drums, ensuring there’s something for every musical taste.
Hear some impressive tunes, enjoy live music or learn the difference between Northumbrian Pipes and other bagpipe types on a great day out that really hits the right note.
Plan your visit today and explore Northumberland’s musical history
Please note that not all of the collections in the care of Museums Northumberland are on public display. If you’d like to see an object in the collections please get in touch with us using the online enquiry form.