> As I see the current round of postings about mechanical music and
> its introduction to a younger generation, I can only reiterate what
> I know works: have a properly maintained mechanical instrument
> (preferably a player piano) in a museum setting, and give all who
> come through a chance to try it.

Dan Harrett is right!  So is Greg Filardo.  We have a piano player
(Simplex) which is fully restored.  Kids and adults love pedalling it.
It is used with a big German upright piano (a Kuhl & Klatt xylophone
cafe piano, actually, but we haven't rebuilt the pneumatic action yet)
and the sound is quite impressive.  We let kids wind organettes and
barrel organs, etc., too, so they get a good selection of things to
play with.  We all must do our bit to encourage the youngsters.

David  Evans
Director, Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum
http://www.revelstokenickelodeon.com/