At the end of the 19th century, two technologies emerged almost simultaneously, ushering in a new acoustic age. The mechanical control of pianos and other musical instruments and the recording and reproduction of sounds and noises with the help of needles and rotating rollers or discs made it possible for the first time to reproduce music and speech faithfully.
The exhibition shows a large selection of speaking and music machines as well as historical sound carriers. Highlights include the »Happy Jazzband« by Popper & Co from the 1920s with automatic drums, some of the earliest phonographs and gramophones and a reel-to-reel tape recorder built by a Dresden engineer in the 1950s. Early examples of experimental machine music as well as hits from a century of pop music can be heard. Several exhibits can be demonstrated by museum staff or even tried out by visitors themselves.
Exhibition dates
Open the doors with the mouse 2026
Workshop in the recording studio
Do you have any sounds? Vinyl records, tape and cassettes – I’ve got those. But what’s an audio tape, what’s a tangled tape, and how can you easily ‘conjure up’ sounds from a record? And is it really that difficult to build your own radio? Give it a go with us and then take your very own homemade radio home with you!
- Ages: 7 to 12 years
- Duration: 1 hour
- Book online or via the visitor services department of Dresden City Museums on +49 351 488 7272 (Mon–Fri)