| The Musical Museum Is Officially Open |
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Sir Christopher Frayling, Chairman of the Arts Council and Rector of the Royal College of Art officially opened The Musical Museum in its new purpose-built home in Brentford High Street, West London, this evening (Monday 9 June 2008). The project to re-house The Musical Museum's collections has been largely made possible by a £1.853m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) towards the overall costs of nearly £2.65 million. The Worshipful The Mayor of the London Borough of Hounslow, Councillor Genevieve Hibbs; Wesley Kerr was present at the opening at which the Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund's Committee for London; and Michael Ryder, Chairman of The Musical Museum also spoke. For over 40 years the Musical Museum's incomparable collection of automatic instruments was housed in St George's Church in Brentford High Street. Its new purpose-built building opened in late November 2007 and has been welcoming visitors during its "bedding down" period. From the tiniest clockwork musical box to the 'Mighty Wurlitzer', the Museum's collection embraces an impressive and comprehensive array of sophisticated self-playing reproducing pianos, orchestrions, orchestrelles, residence organs and violin players. "There is no-one more appropriate than Sir Christopher to unveil the plaque to mark the official opening of our new building," explains Michael Ryder. "He is the great grandson of Daniel Imhof whose firm made three of the large orchestrions in our collection; and he has also been a patron of our highly successful fundraising programme since 2005. We are delighted that he could join us." During the course of the evening Sir Christopher was able to hear one of the Imhof instruments, made in 1899, in action. It played a selection of Victorian airs. He was also able to study the detailed working of a 'weight driven' model from the 1880s, which used larger pin wooden barrels to capture music. "It is quite amazing to hear these instruments play as they were intended back in the Victorian age," he explained. "I was particularly pleased to be invited to open the Museum firstly because of my family connections. It is fascinating to see instruments made by my great grandfather's company literally playing a key role in the museum's astonishing collection, and to think of the ingenuity that went into their creation. Secondly, as a Chiswick resident I believe strongly in the need to keep specialist local museums such as The Musical Museum not just surviving but thriving, and going from strength to strength. I would encourage people of all ages to come along on a musical voyage of discovery." The new Museum building, supported by The National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund (who awarded the Museum £1,853,000), is arranged on three floors. There are four galleries on the ground floor in which working instruments are displayed, providing a superb venue to demonstrate instruments once found in large houses of the wealthy; there's a street setting with shop windows full of music, musical toys and street instruments; a gallery in which exhibits explain how music was 'captured' and how instruments were powered; and a fourth gallery in which the exhibits will be changed periodically and which currently houses an exhibition entitled '45 Years of Change, The Musical Museum and High Street Brentford'. This focuses on the history of the museum and its founder Frank Holland MBE, and includes photographs of the embryonic museum in 1963 and of the changing face of this section of Brentford High Street. The Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund's Committee for London, Wesley Kerr said: "We are delighted to see The Musical Museum officially open its doors and wish it a very successful future. There has already been a really positive response from visitors in the "bedding-down" period. Music is life-enhancing; so are museums and the new Musical Museum is great addition to the wealth of cultural and historical jewels in and around Brentford." Well bedded down The Musical Museum opened last autumn to acclaim in its brand new purpose built home after being closed for five years. Visitors are thoroughly enjoying listening to some of the world's foremost collection of automatic musical instruments from a time long gone; finding out how they were made and how they function. "We are delighted with the feedback from visitors," says Michael Ryder. "Our visitor book is crammed full of compliments from far and wide. Our visitors come from home and overseas with entries in the book from local visitors, and visitors from Australia, America, Spain and France and from all over the UK. "We've page after page of lovely comments in the visitors' book; and whether they are written in a childish hand or by someone considerably older who thanks us for 'reviving memories' the words that are used time after time are 'fascinating', 'we'll be back', 'excellent', 'wonderful', 'superb experience'…. Perhaps two particular favourites are: "We came in initially to escape the rain and ended up spending a very enjoyable afternoon here" and: "The children had a fantastic time and really enjoyed their visit - brilliant". We're delighted too to receive compliments about the Riverside Tea Room with its views of the Thames …. And, time after time visitors write thanks to our guides who demonstrated the instruments and explained their backgrounds." The Museum is also providing a useful and unusual setting for corporate and social events of all kinds; and its light and airy Riverside Tea Room is providing Museum visitors and non-visitors alike with a very welcoming spot for tea, coffee and lights snacks throughout the day. Forthcoming events at The Musical Museum Sat/Sun 30-31 August 1940's Weekend in association with Kew Bridge Steam Museum Mid September Organised in Brentford mini outdoor event Sat 11th October Fund Raising Concert, Wurlitzer, Len Rawle/Richard Cole Sat 18th October Film Show in conjunction with Kew Bridge Steam Museum - to be confirmed Sat 25th October Formal re-opening of Wurlitzer, Richard Hills, David Shepherd, Richard Cole Sun 7th December Matinee Christmas Show, Donald MacKenzie, Barber Shop Quartet Sat 13th December Evening Christmas Show (as above) Thurs 1st January Matinee New Year's Day Concert Opening times and prices The Musical Museum at 399 High Street, Brentford TW8 0DU is open Tuesday to Sunday each week from 11.00-17.30 (last admissions 16.00). Standard entry is £7.00; Concessions (UB40, Student card, Pensioners): £5.50; Children under 16: free (but all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult). There is disabled access to all areas. Its telephone number is 020 8560 8108 and further information can be found on its website at www.musicalmuseum.co.uk Travelling to the Museum Train: from London's Waterloo Station to Kew Bridge. Turn right when leaving Kew Bridge Station and the Museum is about ¼ mile west of the station. Underground: District Line to Gunnersbury, then 237 or 267 bus alighting opposite the Museum. Alternatively, Piccadilly Line to South Ealing, then 65 bus alighting outside the Museum Bus: Buses 65, 237 and 267 pass the Museum. Car: The Museum has limited car park spaces and parking in Brentford High Street is restricted. Additional parking is available in North Road or Potteries Road to the west of the Museum. Coach: Coach parties must be booked in advance |
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