Forum Topic

Brentford Music Museum

Yesterday, I walked past the Brentford Music Museum on the High Street. It looks like they are getting near to completing the new building, they were putting the soil down in the garden area and the new logos had been put up. Here are some photos of it:The main entrance is on the side road from the High Street:The building from the High Street, it has a kind of 'Pop-Art' style with its fluorescent colours:The garage next door has a similar bold colour scheme:It's as if the Jet car wash is the entrance to the Museum, a bit like the 60s TV programme 'Man from uncle' where the secret service building was reached through a laundry!:The logo and pink strip:Sharp lines:Their website is http://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk/

Duncan Walker ● 6493d12 Comments

I went for the tour yesterday afternoon (a good choice considering the weather !). Has no-one else reported on the Musical Museum since it reopened (I may have missed it !) ?I think the new building looks a lot better inside than out and has been well designed for the collection. The main room (with an organ at either end) was said to be about the right dimensions for the Edwardian rooms where the home organs were fitted. The instrument demonstrations were great though I think there is more tuning up still to be done ! Our guide did remark that the change from the continually damp conditions in the church to the new building was causing some of the wood to split.The lift (big enough to hold a grand piano) was interesting and it took us to the new theatre where the Wurlitzer is being installed.We had the lift action shown to us to see the organ rise through the floor. Apparently the electricians are doing testing/fault-finding on the wiring at the minute. Concerts should be back in action at the end of the year. The theatre looks a good local addition (seats 200 ish) with a good dancefloor in front of the stage.A pity the tea-room shuts at 4 pm !

Tim Henderson ● 6336d

How time flies.  I last went to the "old" musical museum about 18 years ago, thoroughly enjoyed it and always said I would go back.  Where has the time gone?  I am looking forward to revisiting the "new" museum.

Linda Massey ● 6449d

Just bought, off ebay, an LP recorded at the Museum.

Neil Chippendale ● 6451d

It's open..and has a coffee shop overlooking the River Thames too!Anyone been yet?

Jim Lawes ● 6451d

http://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk/A poster on the outside of the Museum confirms that they will be opening to the Public on Tuesday 27th November at 11am till 5.30pm..and it will be a day of demonstrations and performances!Before the opening...on the 24th and 25th... there is a sale of memorablia etc.(but no deminstrations etc) See the website for datails.The Notice says "Any anyone with enquiries are asked to phone 020 8560 8108".

Jim Lawes ● 6466d

Good to have you back online Jim and great finds with the album and video of the Music Museum. I wonder which dignitary will open the museum? A good choice would be our forum member Tim Henderson and his London Gallery Quire:http://www.lgq.org.uk/An example of one of their recordings is:http://www.lgq.org.uk/MP3s/LGQ210.MP3

Duncan Walker ● 6474d

All those volunteers would seem to have done a marvellous jobto transfer all that stock to the new building.http://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk/_wp_generated/wpefd0a548.pngLooking forward to a chance to have another look round!Forum search will show that there have been previous threads

Jim Lawes ● 6474d

Good grief...there's a Brentford Music Museum video on YOUTUBE. Is the Opening date mentioned true?""London Musical Museum""(  http://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk/index.shtml  )""A preview of the London Musical Museum at Kew Bridge, London. Opens to the public 27th November 2007. Player pianos, player organs, automatic violins, orchestrions, pipe organs, gramophones, phonographs, music boxes, barrel organs, barrel pianos, organettes, the "fotoplayer" for accompanying silent movies, the Mighty Wurlitzer cinema organ (which can play automatically also!) and much more!

Jim Lawes ● 6474d

DuncanApologies for my absence..and failure to report in for cyberspace duties!!  (More about that some other time!)Your pictures have been quite splendid and have kept the pictorial section of the Forum in top form! I was able to peep at them at a Northfields Internet cafe on a couple of occasions during the past 6 weeks!Sarah mentioned her 2007 Autumn Fair on another thread..and the fact that I had bought a small pile of old LP vinyl records at the 2006 event. Checked through them the other day..and guess what...a Brentford Piano Museum  LP was amongst them!  It's a record of a Mr Joseph Seal playing the WurlitzerOrgan some 30 years ago.  Sorry I can't post the sound of the music...but you can have a look at the record sleeve!!

Jim Lawes ● 6474d

Hi Colin. No, the church was saved from intended demolition by developers and is still there. The new Piano Museum is about 300 yds down the High Street towards Kew Bridge opposite the far entrance of Waterman's Park.If you put 'St George's Church' in the search field at the top right of the index page, then one of the previous topics, 'St George's Church (aka Piano Museum) appeal to demolish has arrived' discusses the fight by local residents to preserve the church.On the Holland Gardens Residents' website: http://www.hollandgardens.org/St_Georges_Church.cfmthere is a record of the fight to save the church led by them.

Duncan Walker ● 6481d

Hi.I live in Berkshire now but I was brought up in Brentford.Has St Georges Church been pulled down or is the museum on a new site?Thanks Colin

Colin Bruce Tompkins ● 6481d

This is the entrance to the museum:

Duncan Walker ● 6493d