Britannia Panopticon Music Hall
ENTRY
from £1
WHERE
Glasgow
What it’s like
Stand on the actual stage where a teenage Stan Laurel made his debut, in the oldest surviving music hall on the planet.
This is a real, unrestored Victorian music hall from 1857, and it looks it. There's an exhibition of artefacts and old ephemera to poke around, a dressing up box for daft selfies, and the stage itself, which is the bit that actually lands with kids once you tell them a 16-year-old Stan Laurel stood on it in 1906 for his first ever gig.
General entry is £2 for an adult and £1 for a child, which is about as cheap as a day out gets, so nobody's going to complain about the ticket price. There's also a proper walking tour of Glasgow's history that ends up here, priced at £12 for an adult and £10 for a child, and running to roughly two hours once you count the Panopticon visit at the end. It's open Friday and Saturday, 12pm to 5pm, so this isn't a spontaneous Tuesday plan.
The honest downside is that it's an unrestored building. No heating, no lift, and the site itself tells you to wrap up warm and bring a blanket if you're going in winter. Wheelchair access is possible via a stair climber, but you need to give them advance notice, so this is one to sort ahead rather than turn up and hope.
There's a gift shop if you want a souvenir on the way out, and the place hires out for private events too if you're thinking bigger than a Saturday visit. It suits kids who'll sit still for a story about a music hall ghost and a comedy legend rather than ones who need something to climb on.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 4:30pm during Doors Open Festival
- How long to allow
- Approximately 2 hours for walking tour including Panopticon visit
- Wheelchairs
- Stair climber for disabled access available
- Parties
- Private events available. Venue capacity 100 seats
- No heating or lift as the building is unrestored, so dress for it in winter
- Wheelchair access needs advance notice for the stair climber
- Only open Friday and Saturday afternoons, 12pm to 5pm
- There's a gift shop on site if you want a souvenir
- Venue seats 100 for private hire, including weddings and film screenings
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
General entry is £2 for an adult and £1 for a child. The walking tour that ends here is £12 for an adult and £10 for a child under 16.
What do kids actually do there?
They can stand on the historic stage, look round an exhibition of old artefacts and ephemera, and mess about in a dressing up box for photos.
When is it open?
Friday and Saturday, 12pm to 5pm. During the Doors Open Festival last entry is 4:30pm.
How long does a visit take?
The walking tour including the Panopticon visit runs to about two hours.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There's a stair climber for disabled access, but you need to give them advance notice before you go.
Is the building heated?
No, it's in an unrestored state with no heating or lift, so bring warm clothing and a blanket if you're visiting in winter.
Can you hire it for a party or event?
The venue holds private events including parties, weddings and film screenings, and it seats up to 100. Contact them directly to arrange it.
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