Harry’s klingendes Museum
Private collection of self-playing musical instruments in an Art Nouveau villa in Schwarmstedt – music boxes, organs, and automata, guided tours only.
About the museum
Harry Natuschka has been collecting and restoring mechanical musical instruments since around 1980, many of which had lain in attics or cellars for decades. In February 2000 he opened a private museum for this collection in his home, an Art Nouveau villa on Neustädter Straße in Schwarmstedt.
On display in three rooms are around 90 to 100 instruments in playable condition from the 18th to the early 20th century: barrel organs and concert organs with cardboard music books, orchestrions, cylinder and disc music boxes of the Belle Époque, organettes, an art harmonium, reproducing pianos, and figure automata from Parisian workshops such as Vichy and Renou. Among the rarities are one of three surviving Bascanions in the world and a Symphonion zither.
The museum opens only by arrangement; the collector personally guides visitors and lets the instruments play. In 2005 he received a local culture prize for the house. The museum lies on the Deutsche Orgelstraße (German Organ Route), is listed in connection with the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of organ building and organ music, and is a member of the Museumsverband Niedersachsen und Bremen.
Highlights
- Around 90 to 100 mechanical musical instruments in playable condition
- Figure automata from French workshops around 1900
- Large music boxes of the Belle Époque
- Concert and carousel organs with cardboard music books
- One of three surviving Bascanions in the world
- Personal tour by the collector, free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- KlangKunstWerke – selbstspielende Musikinstrumente – The collection in three rooms of the villa ranges from tiny music boxes to the large concert organ; during the tour, automata and instruments are set in motion.
- Founded
- 2000
- Operated by
- Harry Natuschka (privat)
- Director
- Harry Natuschka
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups (2+ people) | –Tours for groups of 2 to 20 people; larger groups are split due to limited space. |
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No admission is charged.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
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
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
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| Good to know | Visits exclusively with a personal tour by the collector, during which the instruments are demonstrated; registration by phone. |
