Laninga's Travel Blog

We visited the Music Museum in Traverse City.  Interesting tour, although it really was a museum of music reproduction machines, from the early Victrolas and theater organs, right up to modern juke boxes.  What made the tour  interesting was a complete description of the various machines, and especially that most of them still were able to play and demonstrate their sounds.

Early sound players were quite elaborate

And a much more modern juke box (but still an antique)

A very elaborate Nickelodeon

The nickelodeon shown above was especially interesting because it was able to play the exact recording of George Gershwin playing Rhapsody in Blue, recorded in 1924.  Fascinating!

This Belgian music machine played in Dance halls in the early 1900's

This "Marching Band" organ was designed to attract people to various events, and it was really LOUD! Designed to be heard 1/2 mile away...

You would find a player piano like this in early 1900 saloons

One of the more unusual "music machines"

In addition to all the playing instruments, there was a very large collection of early phonographs, even the cylinder recording devices similar to that invented by Edison.  Also early broadcasting equipment from the early radio music hall days.  All in all, a very interesting tour!