Musical Box Society International (MBSI)

Response to Jim Canavan

Thanks for your excellent question about the proposed MBSI Museum
project at the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors
Museum (NAWCC) in Columbia PA.

Yes--there will definitely be music at the MBSI Museum!  The primary
goals of the MBSI museums are to educate the public about mechanical
music and to preserve the instruments we are entrusted with.  With this
in mind, it is likely the pneumatic instruments will be demonstrated
live, while the more delicate music boxes and other small pieces would
usually be heard via (as you suggest) high quality recorded sound.  A
few of the music boxes will probably be played live during formal
tours.  Keep in mind, we are still in the planning stages, and there are
no definite plans in place yet.

I believe this will turn out to be a very fine and exciting museum,
both for NAWCC and for MBSI.  NAWCC is not only enlarging their space,
but they will have a fine new exhibit, and a beautifully remodeled
building.  Paul Seiz, noted museum designer has created what I would
call a world-class design concept for our own portion of that museum.

Every lover of mechanical music has a wonderful opportunity to help
this exciting concept become reality.  All of you technically-oriented
enthusiasts can certainly envision a museum exhibit where pushing a
button can turn on the exciting sound of an orchestrion playing live
music right in front of you, or maybe playing a video which shows the
workings and plays the music of a wonderful automata built more than
150 years ago.  Another button can play the recorded music of a tiny
snuff box.  And can you see an interactive computerized device where
kids can touch a picture of a music box, and learn about the culture
and history of its time.

In order to build Paul's ambitious design, and to incorporate these and
many other ideas, a lot of money will need to be raised, probably much
more than our initial expectations.  If you want to see this happen - a
world-class mechanical music museum, you can contribute to this
endeavor.  Heres how:

   1. Send a pledge of funds for the NAWCC project.  If you like, you
      can designate your pledge in memory of or in honor of someone
      dear to you.  Be sure to include the amount of your pledge, plus
      your name, address, phone and fax, and tell us if we can publish
      your donation.  You will be notified by mail after the agreements
      are signed and the pledges can be paid.

   2. Pledge the donation of an instrument, preferably a fine one which
      has been properly restored.

   3. Offer your expertise or your time, and describe what you can do
      that might be helpful to this project.

           Please send pledges to:
           Gloria Schack     <71127.136@compuserve.com>
           P.O. Box 4257
           Palos Verdes CA 90274.

   4. If you live in the area near Columbia (Baltimore, Washington,
      Philadelphia), join MBSI, and join the National Capital Chapter.
      Their members are likely to be active in a docent program for
      this project.

   5. Send a contribution to the MBSI Museum Fund, Box 297; Marietta,
      OH 45750.  Credit card payments are also accepted.  MBSI owns a
      number of fine music machines, ranging from rare music boxes to
      several fine fairground and dance organs which are currently
      under consideration for full restoration and exhibition at NAWCC.
      These important restoration projects will be funded by the Museum
      Fund.  Your contribution also helps pay the administrative costs
      necessary to complete arrangements and the formal agreements for
      the NAWCC museum project.  It also supports current exhibits at
      the Lockwood-Matthews Mansion, the Charlotte Museum of History in
      North Carolina, and the Lake County Historical Society in Mentor,
      OH.

Thanks to Jim Canavan for opening the opportunity to talk about the
museum and how we can accomplish it.

Gloria Schack, Museum Chairman, MBSI