Pianola Museum

Despite being invented in the United States in 1894, the pianola (also known as the player piano) has been immortalized in a museum collection in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam. A number of these pianos that play music automatically through the use of rolled “sheet music” made of holes that tell the piano which note to play, have been collected in this museum, along with a fairly extensive collection of the recorded pianola scrolled music spindles. There is a Steinway grand pianola, among others, and over 20,000 paper music rolls in this extensive homage to the instrument and its history. While there is no organized tour of the museum, the curator is always on hand to answer questions and to explain the exhibits, and the significance of the instrument. If you are in the Jordaan district, for shopping or dining, or are visiting the Anne Frank House, then the Pianola Museum is a nice place to drop in for an hour or two, especially if you are a music lover, or interested in the history of music.

Photos provided by . Photos are under the copyright of their owners.