1958
2008
50 Years

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Museums and Collections


Mechanical Music Museums and Collections



The Amersham Organ Museum

Buckinghamshire

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Formerly known as Teddy Reed's Organ Collection. By appointment, Tel: 01494 433948. For Open Days, see the events page. The first edition of the museum's newsletter is available here (reproduced by permission).
Unit 1, 28 Plantation Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP6 6HJ

Dingles Steam Village

Devon

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The Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre is proud to present the National Fairground Collection. Instruments include: 35 key Limonaire fair organ, Triumph Autopiano player piano, rare 46 key Limonaire trumpet barrel organ (newly restored). 2006 opening times: Monday 22 May - Thursday 28 September, Mondays-Thursdays inclusive, 10.30 - 17.30. Contact: Richard Sandercock, Tel: +44 (0)1566 783425. [1-Apr-2006]
Lifton, Devon PL16 0AT

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Hine Collection of Mechanical Music

Dorset

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The museum houses 7 mechanical organs. Open Day 31st July 2005, also some Sundays May - September and privately by arrangement. Supporting local charities. Contact: Tel: +44 (0)1747 852408. Fax: +44 (0)1747 850957. [28-Jan-2005]
Gordon Hine, Mortier House, Great Yeatmans, New Road, Shaftesbury, SP7 8QL.

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Arthur Clarke Collection

Essex

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Open by arrangement only, preferably Saturday or Sunday afternoons. Coach parties welcome weekdays by arrangement. Free entry and car parking. Camping available. On the A120 about 11 miles from the M11. Contact: Arthur Clarke, Tel: +44 01371 820415. [29-Jan-2005]
The Waterings, Dunmow Road, Felsted, CM6 3LD.

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Forest Of Dean Mechanical Organ Museum

Gloucestershire

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Polyphons, DeCap Cafe Organ, Gasparini Fair Organ, & Chiappa piano, etc. Open 14:00 - 17:00, Tuesday & Thursday, April, May, July, August and September. Also open Easter Saturday & Monday. Parties by arrangement all the year round (not Sundays). Admission £3.00 (£2.50 for OAPs). Contact: Wally Marfell, Tel: +44 (0)1594 542278. [23-Jan-2005]
Springfields, Hawthorns Cross, Drybrook, GL17 9BW.

Hollycombe Steam & Woodland Garden Society

Hampshire

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The world's biggest steam-powered Edwardian Fair plus other steam-powered attractions. Organs include: 98-key Marenghi, "The Peacock", 89-key Gavioli, 62-key Gavioli trumpet barrel organ, 45-key Limonaire, plus others visiting or played occasionally. £1 reduction for FOPS members. Tel: +44 (0)1428 724900.
Contact: Mrs Karen Feltham, Hollycombe Steam Collection, Iron Hill, Liphook, GU30 7LP. 2 miles from the A3 on the Liphook - Midhurst road.

St Albans Organ Theatre

Hertfordshire

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The late Charles Hart's collection. Mortier, Bursens and Decap Organs. Music boxes, pianos and two Theatre pipe organs, on which there are monthly concerts. A registered charitable trust. Open every Sunday afternoon from 2.15 - 4.30 pm. Contact: Keith Pinner, SAMMS, PO Box 59, St Albans, AL2 2BF, Tel 01727 873896. Recorded info on 01727 869693. [20-Apr-2008]
320 Camp Road, St Albans, Herts, AL1 5PE.

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Manchester Mechanical Music Collection.

Lancashire

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A small private collection of mechanical musical instruments including a 92-key Mortier cafe dance organ, Seeburg American nickleodeon, Lockman 24.5 inch music (disc) box, Larg cylinder music box, Ampico grand piano / Ampico upright piano, etc. Small groups welcome by prior arrangement. Open most Saturdays. Tel: +44 (0)161 681 3656. [23-Jan-2005]
Contact: Phil Henshall, 75 Parkfield Road North, New Moston, Manchester, M40 3RG

The Musical Museum

Middlesex

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In addition to our live demonstration tours featuring a wide variety of self-playing instruments, there will be an exhibition showing the layout and internal design of the new building. Good selection of automatic musical instruments from musical boxes to a Wurlitzer organ. Telephone 020 8560 8108
399 High Street, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 0DU

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Mechanical Music Museum & Bygones.

Suffolk

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Organs include Mortier, Decap, Limonaire, Bruder, Gavioli. Sunday afternoons only, June to September inclusive, 14:30 - 17:30. Evening tours for groups by arrangement during the same months. 2 for the price of 1 for FOPS members with membership card. Contact: Mrs Phyllis Keeble, 27 St Peter's Close, Stowmarket, IP14 1LF. Tel: +44 (0)1449 613876. [29-Jan-2005]
Cotton, Stowmarket, IP14 4QN.

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Mechanical Music & Doll Collection

Sussex

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A wide range of superbly restored mechanical instruments, ranging from musical boxes to orchestrions and dance organs, including a 32-note Dean organ. Guided tours with demonstrations. June - September: Wednesdays only 13:00 - 16:00. Group bookings throughout the year, day or evening - Tel for details. Contact: Clive Jones, Tel: +44 (0)1243 372646. Fax: +44 (0)1243 370299. [28-Jan-2005]
Church Road, Portfield, Chichester, PO19 4HN.

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Victorian Reed Organ & Harmonium Museum

Yorkshire

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100+ Reed organs - representing most types. Tel: +44 (0)1274 585601 (after 6 pm), Mobile: 07976 535980 or e-mail. [23-Jan-2005]
Victoria Hall, Victoria Road, Saltaire Village, Shipley, BD18 4PS.

Keith Hardings World of Mechanical Music

Gloucestershire

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The World of Mechanical Music is a living museum of the extraordinary variety of self-playing musical instruments and automata. Tel: 01451 860181
The Oak House, High Street, Northleach, Gloucestershire GL54 3ET

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The Bygones Museum

Oxfordshire

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Contains a collection of grammophones, a Tomasso street piano c1900. Open Wednesday-Sunday 10:30am-4:30pm, April-October. Restaurant and gift shop. Adults £2.50. Concessions for Senior Citizens & Children. [29-Jan-2005]
Claydon, Banbury, OX17 1EP

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The Thursford Collection

Norfolk

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An Aladdin's Cave of majestic old road engines and mechanical organs of magical variety, all gleaming with colour. Live musical shows featuring ten very different mechanical pipe organs and starring Robert Wolfe in the Wurlitzer Show. Old farm buildings, transformed into a small village with a touch of Charles Dickens' England house the Thursford shops, refreshment areas and ice cream parlour. Christmas Spectacular Shows: Nov-Dec (bookable). Tel: +44 (0)1328 878477, Fax: +44 (0)1328 878415.
Laurel Farm, The Street, Fakenham, NR21 0AS


Miscellaneous



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Bredgar & Wormshill Steam Railway

Kent

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Narrow gauge (2ft) railway. Collection of 12 steam locos, beam engine, agricultural steam engines, showmans steam tractor and vintage cars on display and in action. Open first Sunday each month, May to October (1 May, 5 June, 3 July, 7 August, 4 September, 2 October 2005) 11.00 am - 5.00 pm. Groups at other times by arrangement. 56-key Dutch street organ, refreshments, picnic site, ample parking. Contact: Bill Best, Tel: +44 (0)1622 884254. Fax: +44 (0)1622 884668. [23-Jan-2005]
The Warren, Bredgar, Sittingbourne, ME9 8AT

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The Original Great Maze

Essex

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July to September each year. The biggest mind-bender in the world - 5 miles of pathway in a maze. Info: +44 (0)1376 344146. 2 adults and 1 child free for FOPS members. Contact: Rachael Banham. [6-Feb-2006]
Blake House Craft Centre, Blake End, Rayne Braintree, CM77 6RA

Crich Tramway Village

Derbyshire

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The home of the National Tramway Museum. An 87-key Gavioli in the Exhibition Hall is regularly played. Contact: Cara Marchant, Marketing Co-ordinator, Tel: +44 (0)1773 854321. Fax: +44 (0)1773 854320. [27-Apr-2005]
Crich, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 5DP


Overseas Mechanical Music Museums



National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ Utrecht.

Netherlands

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The Haarlem organ museum Holland.

Netherlands

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The re-located museum is now open. Please visit the website for up-to-date information. 10 street and dance organs (Mortier, Gavioli, Bursens, Marenghi, Carl Frei). Entry is free. Contact: Cornelis Ruijgvoorn, Watermuur 50, 1991 JR Velserbroek. Tel: +31 23 5385049.
Stichting Stadsorgel Haarlem "Het Kunkels Orgel" Kuppersweg 3, Haarlem

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Museum Musica

Netherlands

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Museum contains draairorgels including a 1902 Wilhelm Bruder, harmoniums and pianolas. Tel: +31 599 648756. [28-Jan-2005]
Scheepswerfkade 34-35, 9503 PB Stadskanaal-nnord

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Musee de la Musique Mecanique

France

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450 mechanical musical instruments, including fair organs, dance organs, pianos, music boxes etc. Open all year except 1 November - 20 December. Open from 14:15-19:15. In July and August 10:00-12:00 and 14:15-19:15. Contact: Denis Bouchet, President de l'Association,Tel: +33 04 50 79 85 75, Fax: +33 04 50 79 85 67. [9-Feb-2005]
Musee de la Musique Mechanique, F-74260, Les Gets, France.

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Anstalt fur Mechanische Musik

Austria

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Organs include 64 keyless Karl Soukup, 47-key barrel Bruder, 40-key barrel Molzer, 33-key barrel Riemer, 26-key barrel Kopetzky, 40-key Dutch organ "de Suikerpot", 41-key Dutch organ "de Waterpoortje", various small organs and organettes. Contact: Herr Robert Huber, Tel: +43 2622 25733. [23-Jan-2005]
Schulgartengasse 12, A 2700, WR Neustadt

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Deutsches Uhrenmuseum

Germany

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Open April - October, 09:00 - 18:00; November - March, 10:00 - 17:00. Closed 24-26 December. Guided tours around the museum which houses 50 pieces including mechanical music automata, organs and musical clocks. The department of Mechanical Musical Instruments has been redesigned and is scheduled for reopening in April 2004. Guided tours in English by appointment. Two for the price of one, for FOPS members. Tel: +49 (0)7723 920 2800. Fax: +49 (0)7723 920 2120, e-mail. [28-Jan-2005]
Robert-Gerwig-Platz 1, D-78120, Furtwangen

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Deutsches Museum

Germany

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There are around 750 musical instruments in the exhibition, with 40 mechanical instruments, including a trumpet automaton, Kaufmann Belloneon, Bontems bird automaton, Steinway/Welte piano, Hupfeld Phonoliszt Violina, plus the Thalkirchner Orgel (the oldest church organ preserved in Bavaria). Tel: +49 89 2179-1. Fax: +49 89 2179-513. Open daily 09:00 - 17:00, Wednesdays 09:00 - 20:00. Closed in January, Shrove Tuesday, Good Friday, May, November, 24, 25, 31 December. [31-Jan-2005]
Deutsches Museum, 80306, Munchen.

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Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett

Germany

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One of the largest German collections of self-playing musical instruments from the 18th to the 20th century. Open March to December daily from 10:00, January and February on application. Conducted tours in English. Tel: +49 6722 49217. Fax: +49 6722 4587; e-mail. [22-Aug-2008]
Oberstrasse 27-29, D 65385, Rudesheim am Rhein

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St. Georgener Deutsches Phonomuseum

Germany

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The collection gives the visitor an insight into the rich history of development of mechanical musical instruments, on the Edison Phonograph (1877) until record players of the 1980s. Tel: +49 (0)7724 87187, Fax: +49 (0)7724 87139. [29-Jan-2005]
St. Georgener Deutsches Phonomuseum, Hauptstrasse 9, D-78112, St Georgen (Black Forest)

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Technik Museum Speyer

Germany

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Technik Museum, Incorporating Der Wilhelmsbau Museum, including mechanised musical instruments, historic fashion, designer dolls, toys, many daily items from beginning of 20th century. Historical organs, and since 2002 a big Welte Philharmonie Organ. Contact: Frau Corinna Handrich,Tel: +49 (0)6232 670868. Fax: +49 (0)6232 670820. [29-Jan-2005]
Technik Museum, D-67346, Speyer

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Elztalmuseum Waldkirch

Germany

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A collection of organs and orchestrions from the famous organ builders of Waldkirch; Bruder, Ruth, etc. The museum featured the grand opening of the restored ex-Duncan Price 89-keyless Black Forest Gavioli, although not yet completed. Displays of the documented history of the firms and examples of the workshops and tools they used. The museum has recently undergone renovation work and improvements to visitor accessability. Concerts held in the museum from March 27th - October 30th. at 3pm. Tel: +49 7681 478530. Fax: +49 7681 25562. [17-Jun-2008]
Elztalmuseum Waldkirch Kirchplatz 14, D 79183, Waldkirch.

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Museum of Music Automatons

Switzerland

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Open Tuesday - Sunday, 11:00 - 18:00. Also open for groups by appointment. The items were collected by Dr H. C. Heinrich Weiss-Stauffacher and include organs, music-boxes and watches. Special exhibition: Station automatons of Switzerland, from 25th Feb. to 12th June, 2005. Contact: Dr Christoph E Hanggi, Director, Tel: +41 (0)61 915 98 80. Fax: +41 (0)61 915 98 90. [29-Jan-2005]
Museum fur Musikautomaten, Bollhubel 1, CH-4206, Seewen.

DeBence Antique Music World

America

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Franklin Pennsylvania. See and hear over 100 old-time automatic musical instruments.

Dr Ted's Musical Marvels.

America

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We have so many amazing instruments that will make you tap, wiggle, swing, sway, rock, roll and stomp to the music.

The Sanfilippo Foundation

America

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The Sanfilippo 'Place de la Musique is known worldwide for its magnificent collections of beautifully restored antique music machines, phonographs, arcade and gambling machines, chandeliers, art glass, the world's largest restored theatre pipe organ, the most spectacular European salon carousel in existence, street and tower clocks, steam engines and other functional mechanical antiques, displayed within a breathtaking French Second Empire setting.

Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum

Canada

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Enjoy a one hour guided tour of our mechanical musical instruments, encompassing Victorian musical boxes, player pianos, player reed and pipe organs. Contact: David & Lesley Evans, Tel/Fax: +1(250) 837-5250. [10-Mar-2007]
111 First Street West, Revelstoke BC, Canada, V0E 2S0.

Argentinian Barrel Organ Museum - La Salvia

Argentina

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Entire collection of all the models of barrel organs manufactured in Buenos Aires by La Salvia family. Singular in Latin America the integral building and creation of its own designs and models is a distinctive feature in La Salvia's workshop.

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