Deutsches Phonomuseum

About the museum

In the 20th century, St. Georgen im Schwarzwald was a center of the German audio-equipment industry. The region's clockmaking and precision engineering gave rise to the companies of brothers Josef and Christian Steidinger, who began building spring motors for gramophones in 1907; these firms evolved into the PE (Perpetuum-Ebner) and Dual brands, whose turntables were sold worldwide.

The museum is based on two private collections: Gottlob Weißer, a motor developer at PE, and Walter Grieshaber, who was connected with Dual, had been collecting historic audio equipment since the 1950s. When space for museum use was planned in the new town hall, Grieshaber proposed a phono museum. With the support of a local photo, film, and audio club, it was set up and opened in June 1972 together with the new town hall.

The collection belongs to the town of St. Georgen and is looked after by a volunteer working group. In July 2011, the museum moved, with new exhibits added, into the former “Brigau” department store on Bärenplatz. It traces the development from Edison's phonograph through horn gramophones, radio-phonograph consoles, and record changers to hi-fi systems of the 1980s, complemented by mechanical musical instruments as forerunners and newer media such as cassettes and video. Many of the devices still work and are demonstrated during guided tours. On the upper floor, a section documents clockmaking and precision engineering in St. Georgen.

Highlights

• Almost complete product range of Dual and PE since 1911
• Phonographs, horn gramophones, and portable gramophones
• Working devices demonstrated during guided tours
• Curiosities such as wire recording and the Tefifon
• Clock section with a wooden-wheel clock from around 1730 and an early quartz clock module

Permanent exhibitions

• Geschichte der Phonotechnik und St. Georgener Phonoindustrie – More than 300 exhibits ranging from the phonograph to gramophones, radio-phonograph consoles, record changers, and hi-fi turntables, with a focus on products by Dual and PE.
• Uhrmacherei und Feinmechanik – Section on the upper floor about clockmaking in St. Georgen, from early wooden-wheel clocks to precision engineering and electronics, including the transition to gramophone drives.

Founded

1972

Operated by

Stadt St. Georgen im Schwarzwald

Admission & discounts

Free admission with the Hochschwarzwald Card/WälderCard, DreiWelten Card or DreiWelten BürgerCard, and Museums-PASS-Musées. The monthly guided museum tours are included in admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

No accessibility information on the website; the exhibition is spread over several floors (clock section on the upper floor).

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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