The digital resource for band organs, orchestrions, player pianos and more!
Links
Please feel free to visit these other websites related to mechanical musical instruments and places with music machines.
Favorite Sites
The Mechanical Music Press is responsible for "The Golden Age of Automatic Musical Instruments", one of, if not the finest published book on mechanical musical instruments. This site also hosts several extensive reports on a variety of different instruments as well as rollographies.
Mechanical Music Radio is a brand new internet radio station devoted to mechanical musical instruments. Tune in for non-stop band organs, orchestrions, and player pianos. Some of the finest and rare recordings are played daily!
The Mechanical Music Digest, or 'MMD' is one of the oldest as well as most popular sites for discussing mechanical musical instruments. With roots back in the mid 1990's, it's still going strong today with daily emails distributed to its users.
United States Places To Visit
Knoebels is not only one of the finest amusement parks in America but a hub of mechanical music machines! The park features 5 band organs constantly playing the park with several others which are brought out occasionally. This also is home to a rare Kremer carousel where you can still catch the brass ring.
A trip to Zaharakos is like stepping back 100 years ago. The immaculately restored restaurant is known for it's ice cream and soda as well as its iconic Welte 3 orchestrion still in its original location. Other instruments including a Seeburg L, Ramey Banjo Orchestra, and Mills Violano are also on display.
Clark's Trading Post dates back over 80 years ago and has grown to become one of New Hampshire's best attractions. Known for it's live bear shows and the 'Wolfman', this also has a number of nickelodeons and band organs including a Wurlitzer LX, Seeburg G, Double Mills Violano, Wurlitzer 146-B, and Artizan C-2.
Virginia City and nearby Nevada City feature thousands of different artifacts from 'The Old West' and more - including a number of music machines. Some of these include a very rare Cremona Photoplayer in the Opera House, a double Mills Violano in the Gypsy arcade, and many large fairground organs in the Music Hall.
The Musical Instrument Museum has several different galleries to explore, and one of them is for mechanical music. There you'll find a large Decap dance organ, a Mills Violano and several music boxes. If in the area, this is a place to stop by!
The Bayernhof Museum is known for it's wonderful instrument collection. Here you'll find a beautiful Hupfeld Phonoliszt, a Welte 2, and several band organs, coin pianos, and music boxes. This museum requires tours to be scheduled in advance.
The Music House Museum near Traverse City, Michigan is filled with wonderful mechanical instruments. The crown jewel of this collection is a large Mortier dance organ - and many other fine music machines can be found, including a Gebruder Bruder 107, Mills Violano, and several other coin pianos.
International Places To Visit
This museum in the UK features many large fairground organs and has open houses to enjoy them all. Many of the instruments are very well known, such as the "Sleigh bell Marenghi" featuring real sleigh bells instead of a glockenspiel.