The Musical Museum at Kew Bridge

On our second day in London, after having breakfast at The Grove in Hammersmith, we took the bus to Brentford, Middlesex to visit "The Musical Museum."  Both my husband and I have an interest in mechanical music boxes, and this particular museum has one of the world's most famous collections of "mechanical musical instruments."

This museum was the dream of one man (Frank Holland) and after his death in 1989, a charitable trust was created to keep the museum operational and staffed by volunteers. The museum is filled with all kinds of player pianos, barrel organs, large orchestrions (which simulates a large orchestra), violin players (a music box simulating piano, percussion, and violins)... music boxes that play paper music rolls, noted cardboard music sheets (handmade by a noteur), pipe organs, a huge Wurlitzer organ, Philharmonic organs, and many many more that I can't remember just now.

The Musical Museum was so inspiring that we visited it on the second day of our trip, and again on the last day of the trip..... the volunteers are enthusiastic and informative, and their passion and deep respect for this collection is clearly visible.

We had lunch that day at a pub called The Cricketer, which is across the road from a beautiful green field which has hosted cricket games since 1737. Honestly, everywhere you look, there are historical signs dating back not just years but centuries.

Back on the bus, and we went to St. Paul's Cathedral for an organ recital. Such a beautiful church, and the music coming from that massive organ was just breath-taking. The Sunday recitals are free, and very much worth the time. Funny thing about St. Paul's that day.... there were two pigeons high up in the dome of the church, flying from one side to the other, apparently having simply walked into the open doors of the church one day and not being smart enough to get out the same way.  I was surprised to see simple chairs in St. Paul's, rather than heavy wooden pews.

We had dinner in London's 'China Town' that night, and walked along the streets in the theater district.... we saw the Lyceum, the Globe, the Hippodrome. It was all so surreal...... everything you can imagine is in London.... from the historical to the comical, from the economical to the astronomical.... it's all there.... you just have to look for it.