SIEGFRIED’S
MECHANISCHES MUSIKKABINETT
Mechanical Music Box Museum of Rudesheim on Rhine
Music
hath charms, goes the saying and the idea of being able to create music
through mechanics has fascinated since the first wind up music
box appeared in the 1700’s. The first mechanical music box mechanisms
were simple stem wound springs turning a cylinder with raised barbs against
a metal comb. As mechanics improved with the development of watches,
mechanical music machines became more elaborate with sophisticated movements,
growing in size and complexity, some almost encompassing an orchestra
in instrumentation, housed in beautiful hand crafted cabinets.
In
the former wine cellar of a 15th Century city manor house on a back
street in Rudesheim am Rhein, just a few doors from the famous Dosselgasse
pedestrian street is the charming Siegfried's
Mechanisches Musikkabinett mechanical music box museum, a wonderous
and entertaining ode to the art of mechanized
music. Siegfried Wendal was visiting Los Angeles on his honeymoon and
happened on a collection of player pianos and mechanical instruments.
As a craftsman, he became fascinated with the devices and began to collect
and restore them, opening his growing collection to the public in his
home town of Rudesheim in 1969 and the curious museum has been a must-see
stop in the popular tourist town ever since.
Siegfrieds
Mechanisches Musikkabinett is located in the Bromserhof, a gingerbread
half-timbered turreted castle manor built by the powerful
medieval Brömser family of Rudesheim around 1548. Tucked into the
corners of the house among the fresco adorned ceilings is the oldest
and one of the largest collections of self-playing mechanical instruments
and automatons in the world, from the smallest simple and elegant music
boxes to the giant Concert Piano Ochestrion. One room alone is dedicated
entirely to violin machines, the Phonoliszt Violina, with bows operated
by mystical armatures in almost a spooky wonder. All the instruments
in Siegfried’s museum are meant to heard and not just seen, so
more a private collector's concert exhibition, than museum. The
museum is included on most of the Rudesheim stops of the Rhine Cruise
boats,
and
organized
tours
of the city (see Rudesheimer
Coffee).
Visiting Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Box Museum
The museum is open from 10am to 6pm Daily from March to December, and 6pm to 10pm with an appointment. The tours are guided only and in English scheduled about two hours apart. The museum is located a short stroll from the Rudesheim Rhine cruise docks or train stop. A public parking lot is nearby next to the Bromserburg Castle (see Wine Museum Bromserburg), now housing the city’s wine museum. © Bargain Travel Europe
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Web Info
Siegfrieds
Musikkabinette
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See Also:
WILHELMSBAU MUSIC BOX MUSEUM - SPEYER
KD FLEET - RHINE AND MOSEL RIVER CRUISES
HOTEL KRONE ASSMANNSHAUSEN - RHINE
RHINE & MOSEL AUGUST-SEPTEMBER WINE FESTIVALS
MUSEUM OF MUSIC AUTOMATONS - SWITZERLAND
