Museum Speelklok

Current exhibitions

About the museum

Museum Speelklok traces its roots to Utrecht barrel organ enthusiasts who, from 1954 onward, searched for surviving mechanical musical instruments that could still be played. On August 18, 1956, they opened the exhibition “Van Speeldoos tot Pierement,” which drew thousands of visitors within a few days; that date is regarded as the museum’s birthday. With the city’s support, it grew into the Nationaal Museum van Speeldoos tot Pierement, which opened in 1958 in a wing of what is now Museum Catharijneconvent.

The growing collection forced a move in 1971 to the former main post office on the street Achter den Dom. In 1984 the museum found its current home in the restored medieval Buurkerk; Queen Beatrix opened it on November 23. It has been called Museum Speelklok since 2010.

The Buurkerk was built around the year 1000 as a church for Utrecht’s citizens and over time also served as a warehouse, bakery, and stable. It is known for the story of the anchoress Suster Bertken, who had herself enclosed here in 1457 and lived in her cell for 57 years.

On display are self-playing instruments ranging from tiny music boxes to musical clocks, carillons, and orchestrions, all the way to large dance and street organs. The instruments are played during the guided tours. In 2026, “Music Machines & Me,” an interactive music and technology lab, was added on the upper floor.

Highlights

• Hourly “Muzikale Rondleiding” (musical tour) with live demonstrations of the instruments
• Large dance and street organs (draaiorgels)
• Koninklijke Kamer with gleaming golden music boxes and speelklokken (musical clocks)
• Interactive music and technology lab “Music Machines & Me”
• Medieval Buurkerk as the museum building

Permanent exhibitions

• Muzikale Rondleiding & Museum Expeditie – A tour through the collection of mechanical musical instruments with demonstrations and an audio drama, culminating in the opulent Koninklijke Kamer.
• Music Machines & Me – Interactive lab on the second floor where visitors ages 8 and up explore how the instruments work and build their own digital music machine.

Founded

1956

Director

Marian van Dijk

Visitors per year

approx. 98,195 (2025)

Admission & discounts

Free with the Museumkaart; also free with the VriendenLoterij VIP-KAART, Rembrandtkaart, ICOM card, U-pas, and for Friends of the museum. Guided tour included in admission. Combination tickets available at the ticket desks of Speelklok, Domtoren, and Schuttevaer.

Accessibility

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

All rooms are on one level or reachable by threshold-free ramps; two elevators; some heavy doors are not automatic. Wheelchair-accessible restroom on the first floor. Two loaner wheelchairs and a rollator (reservation required), folding stools at the ticket desk. Public accessible parking spaces at Visschersplein and on Springweg (cannot be reserved). “Tastbare Muziek” program for visitors with visual impairments; regular low-stimulus museum evenings with the NVA (Dutch autism association). Staff recognize the Sunflower lanyard.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities
• Kids’ birthday parties

Children’s tours Sat/Sun at 14:00 (except during school holidays, when there are hourly regular tours for everyone). Scavenger hunt with Toon the organ monkey, the “Muziekfabriek” for composing your own music box tune, and the “Music Machines & Me” tech lab for ages 8 and up with workshops during school holidays. Children’s birthday parties can be booked. Baby changing table in the accessible restroom.

Getting there & parking

Free covered bicycle parking on Zadelstraat; bikes can also be parked behind the museum at Buurkerkhof.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

Museum café (coffee, lunch, cake) and shop accessible without an admission ticket; the music machines play live in the café.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

The entire museum can be rented on Mondays and after closing time, and during opening hours by arrangement; it is an official wedding venue of the municipality of Utrecht. Contact verhuur@museumspeelklok.nl, +31 30 232 6081. Barrel organs can also be rented.

Plan your visit