Musical Museum

The Musical Museum stands in Brentford, a short walk from Kew Bridge station in west London. It is a charity, museum and concert hall dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of music reproduction. The collection includes rare self-playing instruments and one of the world’s largest holdings of historic musical rolls. The museum’s exhibits trace how light music reached radio and cinema audiences through instruments like player pianos, orchestrions and theatre pipe organs. A fully restored Wurlitzer organ linked to a roll-player and Steinway grand piano is among the largest displays. Volunteers run the museum and lead tours that include live demonstrations of the instruments in action. Four galleries display the collection, and a 240-seat hall doubles as a cinema and concert space. A café offers refreshments, and regular events include concerts, dances and film screenings featuring the Wurlitzer Cinema Organ. The Korg Gallery shows electronic instruments from the 1970s to today, with some available for visitors to play during tours.