What are the opening hours?

Monday 9:30am - 5pm Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm Thursday 9:30am - 5pm Friday 9:30am - 5pm Saturday 9:30am - 5pm

Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum, The Chantry, Bridge Street, Morpeth (2026)

Visit the very first bagpipe museum in the UK, a major part of the county’s musical landscape

A stunning 13th Century Grade 1 listed building, Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum boasts a treasure trove of instruments for your enjoyment. Morpeth Chantry was founded in the 1300s by Richard of Morpeth as a place for prayers to be said in memory of his parents and his benefactor the Lord of Morpeth John of Greystoke. Through the centuries the Chantry has had a multitude of uses - as the town grammar school from the 1550s to 1846, as council offices and concert venue in Victorian times, and as a mineral water factory in the 20th century. The Chantry was restored to be used as a museum and craft centre in the 1980s.

• Discover the traditional Northumbrian pipes with their delicate chant
• See how they compare to the Highland and Irish Bagpipes
• Find out how they are made and how pipes have developed over the centuries
• Understand the difference between pipes with bellows and mouth pieces
• Learn about aficionado, expert and collector, W A C***s
• Move and play Cantaria – a special light and sound feature

The pipes collection belongs to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne. Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum is managed by Museums Northumberland, the public brand of Woodhorn Charitable Trust | Registered as a company in England and Wales under registration number 6893854 | Woodhorn Charitable Trust is registered as a charity number 1129712

08/09/2026

Discover Morpeth’s heritage through poetry, music and history!

To celebrate Heritage Open Days 2026, Morpeth Bagpipe Museum is hosting a special day of performances, stories and traditional Northumbrian music on Saturday 19 September.

✨ 10.30am–12pm | A glimpse of the heritage of Morpeth, through poetry and in costume
Step back in time with the Morpeth Poetry Group, as they bring the town’s history to life through poetry and performance. In costume and in character, they’ll share stories of Morpeth’s past, its people and its landmarks.

🎵 2pm–4.30pm | Northumbrian Pipers’ Society Gathering
Hear the distinctive sound of Northumberland’s own musical instrument as members of the Northumbrian Pipers’ Society play traditional tunes throughout the afternoon. Drop in, listen and enjoy!

For more info visit: https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/morpethbagpipemuseum/whats-on/heritage-open-days-2025

15/04/2026

It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying Northumberland’s rich traditions during last weekend’s Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering.

Here are a few highlights from the 'Meet the Northumbrian Pipers' session, which took place here at the Bagpipe Museum 🎶

10/03/2026

🎶 Happy International Bagpipe Day! 🎶

Today we’re celebrating the remarkable sound and story of bagpipes around the world. As the first bagpipe museum in the UK, the Morpeth Bagpipe Museum is proud to share the rich piping heritage of Northumberland and beyond.

even received a mention on BBC Radio 2 this morning on Vernon Kay’s show, bringing the story of the pipes to listeners across the country.

If you’d like to explore the history of the pipes even further, we recommend The Bagpipes: A Cultural History by Richard McLauchlan - a fascinating look at how bagpipes have evolved over time, from the rise of women pipers to questions of class, privilege and identity in the piping world.

📖 We’ve popped a link to the book in the comments below.

North East Museums

17/12/2025

🎄 Christmas & New Year Opening Times 🎄

Please note our opening times over the festive period:

🗓 Sunday 21 December
⏰ 10.30am – 4pm (special Sunday opening)

🗓 Christmas Eve – Wednesday 24 December
⏰ 10.30am – 4pm

🚫 Closed:
• 25 & 26 December
• 1 January

All other days during the festive period are open as usual (Monday - Saturday, 9.30am - 5pm).

We wish all our visitors a very Merry Christmas and look forward to welcoming you. 🎶✨

15/12/2025

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of welcoming Heritage Minister Fiona Twycross (Baroness Twycross) and North Northumberland MP David Smith to Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum.

We talked about the work of North East Museums and the importance of living cultural heritage in building sense of place and creating opportunities for communities.

It was also great to be joined by President of the Northumbrian Pipers Society (and former North East Museums Chair), Baroness Joyce Quin and treated to a performance by pipers from the Society.

Louise (Robson's Choice Pipers) and Lynn (Northumbrian Pipers' Society) have even been featured in Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Living Heritage Nominations video. See if you can spot them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk22uq1A3no

Northumberland County Council

Address

The Chantry, Bridge Street
Morpeth
NE611PD

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5pm
Friday	9:30am - 5pm
Saturday	9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+441670624490

Website

https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/morpethbagpipemuseum, https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/about/social-media

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Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum