Britannia Panopticon
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  • Britannia PanopticonTHE PANOPTICON
  • Britannia PanopticonSURVIVING MUSIC HALL
  • Britannia PanopticonMADE HIS STAGE DEBUT
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The Britannia Panopticon Music Hall is now closed for general viewing, it will reopen for viewing in Easter 2025.

Events are on throughout the year, check out our Whats On page.

Pop along to an event and discover the world's oldest surviving music hall.

Britannia Panopticon
Britannia Panopticon

WORLDS OLDEST SURVIVING
MUSIC HALL

Britannia Panopticon
Britannia Panopticon

Brittania Panopticonelcome to The Britannia Panopticon Music Hall website.

Situated on Glasgow’s historic Trongate, this music hall began life in 1857 at a time when Glasgow's population was booming, and its streets were overcrowded with working folk desperate to be entertained. Music Halls were a popular form of entertainment with the working classes during the Victorian and Edwardian era. At first, they were back rooms behind pubs, though this one is different, being on the floor above! It would have held over 1500 visitors, eager to be amused and let off steam while watching the acts that ranged from singers, dancers and comedians to acrobats, animal, and novelty acts. In 1906, an eccentric showman, A.E Pickard, added a carnival, freak show, wax works and zoo to the entertainments where visitors could catch a glimpse of the Himalayan Bear in the basement or the Tattooed Lady in the attic.

Britannia Panopticon Music Hall is operated by a registered charity, The Friends of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust (SCIO). The aim of the charity is to promote and continue the legacy of the world’s oldest surviving music hall, advance its conservation, and ensure the building’s future as a viable visitor attraction, museum and working venue. It's a huge part of Glasgow's entertainment history and we rely a lot on our wonderful customers who leave donations. If you wish to contribute in any way, please click on the Support Us button in the bottom left-hand corner. We would love to have you onboard!

Britannia Panopticon is open to the public for shows and events including silent films, comedy club, Drag, Burlesque, variety, sing-a-longs and even a traditional old time music hall shows. Most of our shows and events are fundraisers for the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall. Please check our events page for the latest updates.

Please note that we do not at this time have disabled access and there are two flights of stairs up to the music hall. A part of our fundraising currently is to raise enough money to buy a stair-climber for wheelchairs, until such times as we can have a lift installed.

We also don’t have any heating, so make sure you wrap up warm if you’re visiting us during the colder months.

If you don’t have time to see a show, we do open for general viewing and for private visits. This gives visitors an opportunity to see inside the music hall where there is an exhibition of ephemera, a pianola to play, a bar, a merchandise stall (with postcards, bags, posters, mugs, tee-shirts, stickers etc) and of course our friendly staff and volunteers are always available to regale you with tales of the history of the world’s oldest surviving music hall, from the unique acts that graced our stage, to the boisterous crowds and the secret to how this building never burnt down like so many other music halls! In 2018, Historic Environment Scotland voted Britannia Panopticon Music Hall as the Best Heritage Tourism Experience in the West Coast as part of The Scottish Thistle Awards.

The entrance to the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall is on the New Wynd, a lane that runs from the Trongate to Osborne Street and is nestled between MacDonald’s the Bakers and Mrs Mitchell’s Sweet Shop on the Trongate.

If you are a subscribing supporter or member of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall general admission is free of charge and you are eligible for discounts to most of our shows and events. If you are not a subscribing supporter or member and would like to become one, please click Support Us on the bottom left corner of your screen.

For any queries you can call us on 0141 553 0840 or email us at [email protected]

LATEST NEWS

THE MAGIC LANTERN - BOOK LAUNCH

Britannia Panopticon



Sat 2nd November 2024 2:00PM

A murder. A mysterious stranger. A missing diamond. A haunted Magic Lantern. What dark secret ties them all together? When Sandy is jolted awake by a strange light, she’s whisked from present-day Glasgow to the chaotic streets of 1908. Teaming up with a fearless band of ragamuffin boys, she dives into a race against time to uncover the chilling truth behind these connected events. But as danger closes in, one question remains to be answered: Will Sandy ever get back home?



Join us for the launch of 'The Magic Lantern' by Judith Bowers - This fast paced adventure is set in Glasgow’s Panopticon and based on real people, places and events bound together by the author's imagination. The Magic Lantern is a thrilling beginning to a time travelling trilogy.

There are 200 special edition hardback books available for collection at the launch. Each one will be numbered and signed by the author. To pre-order your limited edition hardback today please visit:

https://jasami-publishing.square.site



We cannot guarantee there will be any limited edition hardbacks available on the day of the launch, so we recommend you pre-order - however, the standard paperback will be available.

More Info

News Spring 2023

Britannia Panopticon

 The Glasgow International Comedy Festival has been back in Britannia Panopticon with the first full programme of events since 2019 and we are pleased to say that with social distancing no longer necessary we are back to being able to accommodate 100 people for all of our shows. Drag-Opticon is back, along with our monthly Comedy Club. Laurel and Hardy films return with the Sons of the Desert on the 5th April and on Thursday May 4th (May the 4th be with you) we will have our annual screening of the classic silent sci-fi, Metropolis, complete with live band and foley artists providing the sound effects. We are also pleased to announce our new monthly market Second-hand Rose’s Second-hand, Vintage and Handmade Sale, which is the third Saturday of every month from noon – 5pm. The Panopticon Team are also planning sing-along movies, family events and much more, so keep an eye on our What’s On page and social media for updates and if there is anything you would like to see us do, please drop us a line to [email protected].



Dragged Tae the Steamie goes on Tour

After last year’s sell out success of Dragged tae the Steamie, the steamie crew will be dragging themselves across Scotland on tour. Dragged Tae The Steamie is the official authorised Drag adaptation of The Steamie written by Tony Roper with Songs by Dave Anderson and with the characters portrayed by actors in drag. Sadly, Lucky Jim, who played Dolly in 2022, is unable to join the tour, but we are delighted to announce that Darren Brownlie who is known for, The James Gang, Dregs, Meet the Magoons, Being Victor and of course, River City, will be taking on the role. If you would like to be a sponsor or buy advertising space in the Dragged Tae the Steamie tour programme, please get in touch by emailing [email protected]

The songs in this touring production will be pre-recorded by Lisa Le Grove and Margaret Woods with Dorothy Paul.



Merchandise

We have some fantastic new merchandise now available in the Music Hall. Designed and made by Debbie McCall, they are a wonderful addition to our merchandise stall and a great way to support the ongoing work of the Friends of Britannia Panopticon Music Hall. The tee shirts will soon be available in various sizes and the tote bags are fantastic quality. If you wish to purchase online, please pop an email to [email protected]

More Info