Famous public pianos around the world that you can still play
Famous public pianos you can still play in 2026 include the pianos at London St Pancras International, Yayoi Kusama’s yellow grand in Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government Building, two grands at Newark airport, the Oculus piano at Westfield World Trade Center, and Montreal’s summer park pianos. We checked every entry below against a 2024 to 2026 source and noted its hours or season.
How we chose
Lists of “the world’s best public pianos” tend to repeat pianos that were removed years ago. We only included pianos that a 2024, 2025 or 2026 source shows are in place and open to the public, and we left out anything we could not confirm. Seasonal pianos are marked as such. Even so, pianos move and hours change, so treat this as a starting point and check before you travel.
| Piano | Setting | When |
|---|---|---|
| St Pancras International, London | Indoor, station | Year-round |
| London Waterloo | Indoor, station | Year-round |
| Kusama piano, Tokyo | Indoor, observatory | Set daily slots |
| Westfield World Trade Center, New York | Indoor, mall | Mondays and Thursdays |
| Newark Liberty Airport | Indoor, terminal | Daily, per Sing for Hope |
| Chicago Plays pianos | Pier, station, neighbourhood spots | Check locally |
| Montreal park pianos | Outdoor | Summer only |
| French railway stations | Indoor, station | Station hours |
1. St Pancras International, London
The best-known station pianos anywhere. St Pancras has had public pianos since 2012, and in July 2025 a new Kawai K-500 upright, the “St. Pancras Piano”, went into the heart of the main Arcade (per Pianist magazine, July 2025). The station’s own page also lists the Phantom Piano, a Yamaha donated by Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals, and names visiting players from Lang Lang to Alicia Keys (per St Pancras International, October 2026). Expect a queue at busy times and an audience at all times.
2. London Waterloo
A short hop away, Waterloo got a public piano in August 2024, in the Orchestra Pit near platforms 20 to 24 in the old Eurostar terminal, now The Sidings (per Network Rail, August 2024).
3. Yayoi Kusama’s piano, Tokyo
In the South Observatory of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building sits “Omoide” (Memory), a Yamaha G3A grand covered in Kusama’s yellow polka dots. Anyone can play it from 10am to noon and 2pm to 4pm, for up to five minutes a turn, on days the observatory is open. Singing, other instruments and live streaming are not allowed (per the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, January 2026). Older guides list an evening slot too; go by the official hours.
4. Westfield World Trade Center, New York
A Sing for Hope piano painted by Lance Johnson lives at The Shops at the Oculus, 185 Greenwich St. It is listed as playable on Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30am to 7pm, with a holiday break while the ice rink is installed. In late spring, New York also gets Sing for Hope’s season of painted outdoor pianos; in 2026 that ran from May 18 to June 7. See our Sing for Hope guide.
5. Newark Liberty International Airport
Sing for Hope lists two grand pianos in Terminal C, Concourses 1 and 3, described as available daily (per Sing for Hope, October 2026). Whether you can reach them depends on your flight and terminal. The website airportpianos.org lists pianos at more than 90 airports, each with the date it was last confirmed, if you have a layover elsewhere.
6. Chicago Plays, Chicago
A newer program: the nonprofit Chicago Plays places donated, artist-painted pianos at spots including Navy Pier and the Ogilvie Transportation Center, plus South Side neighbourhoods. By July 2026 it was in its second official year (per Hoodline, September 2026). The article doesn’t say whether every piano stays out year-round, so check locally in winter.
7. Montreal’s summer pianos
Montreal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal borough has put out public pianos every summer since 2012. In 2026 the Parc Jeanne-Mance piano ran from June 15 to August 23, with set daily hours, and players are asked to stop when rain starts because the piano is put away (per Ville de Montréal, October 2026). Outside summer, there is nothing to play here.
8. French railway stations
France’s station operator keeps pianos in stations across the country. In 2025 it relaunched its “À vous de jouer” contest with Yamaha, asking amateur players to film themselves on a station piano, with a national final on June 20, 2025 (per SNCF Gares & Connexions, 2025). Station pianos follow station hours, and big stations are busy, so early mornings are usually calmer.
One we left out: Amsterdam Schiphol
Schiphol’s piano turns up in a lot of older lists. We didn’t include it: on pianos.pub, visitors reported one Schiphol piano as not available repeatedly from August to October 2026, and airportpianos.org last confirmed a piano there in 2022. There may be another one in the airport, but we couldn’t confirm it. This is exactly why recent reports matter more than fame. Our guide on checking whether a piano is still there explains what to look for.
Keep your own list
The best public piano is often the one around the corner that nobody writes about. On PianoSpot, filter for Great, check recent reviews, and tap Get directions. Each piano you check in at adds a numbered stamp to your Piano Passport, with the city and venue. You can also browse pianos by country on the web.
Questions people ask
What is the most famous public piano in the world?
There is no official ranking, but the pianos at London St Pancras International are among the best known. The station has had public pianos since 2012 and lists surprise sets by well-known musicians.
Can anyone play the Yayoi Kusama piano in Tokyo?
Yes. The piano in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building’s South Observatory can be played from 10am to noon and 2pm to 4pm, for up to five minutes per turn, on days the observatory is open.
Are there public pianos in airports?
Yes. Sing for Hope lists two grand pianos at Newark Liberty International Airport, and airportpianos.org lists pianos at more than 90 airports with the date each was last confirmed.
Why is a famous piano missing from this list?
We only included pianos that a 2024 to 2026 source shows are still in place. Some well-known pianos, like one at Amsterdam Schiphol, have recent reports saying they are not available, so we left them out.
How do I check a famous public piano is playable before I go?
Look for recent reports rather than old articles. In PianoSpot each piano has a Great, Fair or Needs work label with recent votes and reviews. For indoor pianos, the venue’s own website or a quick call settles it.