The Musical Museum tells the fascinating story of how people have captured and listened to music over the last four centuries. From tiny music boxes to the Mighty Wurlitzer theatre organ in our concert hall, the collection includes an impressive array of instruments and inventions, including reproducing pianos, orchestrions, self-playing violins, pipe organs, gramophones & synthesizers.
Find out how music was recorded and reproduced, see and hear them in action. Located in Brentford (and not far from Kew Gardens), we're a 5-star rated attraction in Greater London. We offer guided tours and a variety of LIVE concerts and other events, complete with new social distancing (but still social!)
Find out how music was recorded and reproduced, see and hear them in action. Located in Brentford (and not far from Kew Gardens), we're a 5-star rated attraction in Greater London. We offer guided tours and a variety of LIVE concerts and other events, complete with new social distancing (but still social!)
Services
The Musical Museum was founded over 50 years ago by the late Frank Holland. He started with his own private collection of some half-dozen reproducing pianos, and in 1963 he was given use of the former St George's Church, Brentford to get the collection under one roof. He was initially allowed use of the premises for only two years, but the museum was still there 40 years later!
Our collection of working instruments, displays and interactive exhibits tell the story of how music has been recorded and reproduced, from mechanical inventions to the present day. Arranged over three unique galleries plus a concert hall, shop and caf, our dedicated volunteers offer guided tours that combine practical demonstrations with an entertaining and informative narrative, answering any questions you may have along the way.
The Museum is close to Kew Bridge on the north side of the Thames. It is easily accessible from the M4 and the North & South Circular roads. The Museum has a small car park which is free for the duration of your visit; but spaces are limited and availability is not guaranteed. To ensure you're able to park, you may prefer to reserve one of our spaces for a small fee through Just Park.
To enable current and future generations of visitors to engage with, take pleasure in and learn from the history and development of music reproduction, challenging their perceptions and enriching their lives. Conserves, preserves, and develops nationally important collections related to the history of music reproduction.
The Musical Museum's Trustees make up our board of Directors, and have a broad spectrum of backgrounds and experience. Our Trustees volunteer to apply their skills, experience and contacts to help us achieve our charitable objectives, grow the museum's visitors, reach new audiences, and build a sustainable future for our collections.
Reviews (11)
L. L.-A.
Jan 17, 2022
Report
A real diamond in the rough. A genuinely fun outing, thanks to a warm welcome by the utterly lovely gentleman in reception, the super sweet lady in the café… and our amazing tour guide Roy. He is a 91 year old ‘national treasure’ who easily rivals our other British sweetheart David Attenborough - all of whom we need to protect from covid at all costs! As a retired clockmaker he knew all the ins and outs of all the mechanisms of the musical automated machines he was showing us. Most of us don’t stop to question where the music devices we love now originated from, particularly in the form
Pete Blackwell
Dec 14, 2021
Report
Hugh Burden
Nov 14, 2021
Report
Very interesting to see such complicated machines making brilliant quality music. Go half an hour before the tour in order to use the instruments yourself. At the end a demonstration of the Wurlitzer organ and then get to play it yourself. There's parking, a cafe, a view of the Thames and a gift shop. Entertainment for all ages. Takes about 2hrs
Jaqui Guardamagna
Aug 21, 2021
Report
MechanicalMusicTravels
Aug 09, 2021
Report
A lovely museum, and very interesting indeed. The tour guide was a very friendly chap who demonstrated instruments upon request and had a lot of interesting information about them. The curator is also very knowledgeable and I had the luck of bumping into him in the cafe; we exchanged anecdotes of our mechanical music travels (hence my username...!)
Miri G.
Jul 15, 2021
Report
Siarhei Kizer
Jun 30, 2021
Report
Maria A. Galvis
Jun 17, 2021
Report
Peter Spencer
Oct 06, 2019
Report
Fabulous little gem of a museum. The small car park belies the treasures inside. Staff very friendly. Roy the guide, very knowledgeable and demonstrated many of the exhibits. We were even able to play a piano/pianola. For the curious, a great few hours. You'll learn all about mechanical music from the music box to the mighty Wurlitzer.
Simon Wright
Jun 21, 2019
Report
We loved this place. Sure, the focus is mostly on mechanised instruments such as pianolas and player pianos, but they were fascinating. The tour guide, Roy, was wonderful and super knowledgeable, and we left feeling that it was definitely good value for money. They lady in the admissions desk was lively, the cafe had really nice fresh sandwiches at good prices, and the small gift shop was interesting too.
Thomas M.
Mar 03, 2015
Report
The Musical Museum in Brentford, Borough of Hounslow, London, offers a substantial and spectacular collection of (mostly) "mechanical," self-playing musical instruments such as player pianos, a Mighty Wurlitzer cinema organ (which is also used for screenings of silent films with live music accompaniment), orchestrions and even a mechanical violin-playing machine. The exhibit is arranged over three floors of a detached building and includes a fairly large concert hall that's also a cinema (for sound films, too).
There is a guided tour several times a day (11.30, 13:30 and 15:30 on
There is a guided tour several times a day (11.30, 13:30 and 15:30 on
