Museum of Mechanical Music

This place is amazing. Different mechanical music machines from the last century on display. On the guided tour there are explanations in Finnish, English and German, with the opportunity to hear the instruments and machines that make the sounds.
Some of the oldest machines are presented. The guided tour went a bit quick, but it went around in a loop, and could have been more slow pace if needed.

This place is worth visiting a 100 percent. The collection is vast and diverse, maybe not totally unique, but nevertheless is very interesting. And a huge plus and argument for visit is a brilliant performance of a museum keeper. His guided tour will make you smile every minute and left you at the end with great excitement and joy from such fascinating journey into the "magic" world of mechanical music.

One of the best museums I have ever visited, and surely the funniest excursion of all! Highly recommend, very exciting and fascinating!

You must go there! Entrance fee is pretty high (16 EU), it is far from well known touristic places, but it is very interesting, if You like music, machines, information technology and history of music. There are a lot of music instruments with mechanical and electrical control.

One of the best museums in Finland. For 20 Euros you get a 1-hour guided tour where you not just see some of the weirdest instruments and music players ever built but also experience them in action. And the guide / director / conservator speaks perfect German no less.
A truly amazing experience!

Very informative tour and good guides. They play many of the "instrumets". Few rarities in display.

Fantastic museum loved very much even with people who are generally not so interested in mechanical music.

Very few museums are this practical where you van really see (read:hear) hiw these things actually work.

Very special and unbelievably fascinating museum with lots of interesting aspects and a lovely staff! You would never imagine you can find a place like this in a small town like Varkaus. Superb! Go for it.

The first time we were in 2012.
Extraordinary impressions!
In May 2023, we visited the museum again to look at some new.
And again extraordinary impressions!!!

We were staying in Imatra and we drove 2.5 hours to this museum, plus 3.5 on the way back, in the dangerous dark Finnish roads. But it was worth it, because this museum is a gem of Finland. It reminds me of the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre in Glasgow, with the difference being that the latter is made up of machines moving with music, while this museum is all about mechanical systems of playing music without an actual person playing the notes on the keyboard. The museum is organised in rooms, with each one covering one time period, spanning from the first table organ around 1800 to the latest piano disc system, just 15 years ago, going through barrel organs and phonograms, among others. The different machines are operated by the museum manager, who also gives you a detailed explanation of each one of them. He's half Finnish and half German, hence probably the interest in mechanical engineering. He's in fact the person who maintains the machines during the winter, while the museum is shut, to then open again from spring to autumn, with the peak being in summer. He's a friendly and knowledgeable person, with a distinctive sense of humour, making the hour spent with him extremely pleasant and enjoyable. This museum is a must see in Finland. Its value is absolutely worth the extra kilometres to spend on the road to reach it. It will make your day!

One of the best museums I have ever visited! If you are near Varkaus a visit here is a must. In the museum tour guides will play music and tell about the history of Mechanical music. Guides are very skilled in their job.

Visiting Mekaanisen Musiikin Museo is a must to anybody who has ever visited eastern Finland, You will be blown away by the professional and funny approach they have towards mechanical music and all the possible equipment there is.

It is a great museum with entertaining and informative guided tours, which are also available in different languages on request. All in all, the trip was very nice.

Guided by the son and father of Kempf, they tell funny stories about the objects. Most devices are functional and demoed during the tour.
Unfortunately, the museum does not have a lift but has to climb a lot of stairs.

Unique in Finland and Northern Europe. Watch and listen!

Absolutely must visit! Excursions are a delight to children as well as their parents. Really recommend

This museum is something very special! It exceeded my expectations and was a lot of fun! T

Fascinating collection of musical instruments. Lovely staff

Excellent premise, dozens if not over hundred different machines from various eras of mechanical music. Very informal tour, hope people find this.

A very informative and amusing guided tour. The guides are very good at what they do.