Bagpipes: A National Collection of a National Instrument explores the history of bagpipes as represented by the collection in National Museums Scotland. From modest beginnings, the collection is now of international significance and numbers over 1800 items. Bagpipes broadens the collection with examples of kindred instruments from Europe, the tools of turnery and manufacture, a selection of bagpipe music and ephemera,  to reflect the character of the tradition. Also included are sections on piping dynasties - pipers, poets and shennachies, how the bagpipe came to Scotland, the pastoral and new bagpipe, taste and humour - the Union Pipe of Scotland and Ireland.