Nationaal Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement
- March 31, 2025
- Rated 3 of 5 by
honeyb from San Francisco, California
Housed in a medieval church, the Buurkerk (the neighbors church) this museum displays a collection of mechanical musical instruments from small musical clocks to automatic pianos to fairground street organs. Unlike most museums, visitors are treated to a delightful demonstration of some of the instruments - unusual, considering the age of some of these items.
Some items of special note are an automatic piano player with a three-violin playing machine, a jukebox that plays punched metal disks, and a loud street organ. The church's organ is also intact.
Tours are given in Dutch, followed up in English. Depending on your tour guide, you may even be treated to a song!
Take some time to look at the floor stones of the church that I presume are grave markers. Outside, don't miss the cannonballs that were once hurled at the church in the Dutch war for freedom from Spain and later inserted into the tower as a memorial.
From journal Exploring Utrecht