Museum Speelklok transforms and opens interactive presentation Music Machines & Me

In Music Machines & Me, they will experience how technology in historical instruments enables live music to be played and will create their own digital music machine. This enables visitors to contribute to the collection of the future of Museum Speelklok.

The museum particularly wants to enthuse young people about technology and works closely with primary and secondary schools. On 14 April, Museum Speelklok and engineering company Koninklijke Kuijpers will jointly present a technical programme during Girls’ Day.  

Museum with a mission: technology comes to life

From 15 April, Museum Speelklok will become a place where visitors don’t just watch and listen, but become creators themselves. Museum Speelklok wants to inspire everyone with the mechanical technology of the music machines in its collection. With music as a reward, Music Machines & Me is showing that technology is not only useful, but that technical ingenuity can bring the most beautiful ideas to life. On the ground floor of the museum, visitors can see and hear stories about the museum collection. In Music Machines & Me, which occupies the entire first floor of the museum, they can get hands-on.  

Playing with gears, crankshafts, cylinders, bells and beats

In Music Machines & Me, the public can playfully explore dozens of interactive displays and working models. Here they meet famous inventors, experiment with mechanical technology such as gears, crankshafts and levers, and discover in which everyday objects this technology is indispensable. Visitors also experience how musical instruments from all over the world work, how they can programme music and make it sound live.  On the final screens, everyone creates their own unique digital music machine. These are stored in an online depot: the collection of the future. 

Technology and music for young people

Museum Speelklok wants to excite young people in particular about technology. That is why Music Machines & Me is a presentation for and with schools. The museum is developing new educational programmes on technology and music for years 7 and 8 of primary education and years 1 and 2 of secondary education. These are the pupils who can choose a technical profile. Students from secondary and vocational education contributed to the realisation of Music Machines & Me.  Students from the NIMETO college for example created the robot-like narrators that will guide visitors through Music Machines & Me.  

Girls’ Day: national technology day for girls

On Tuesday 14 April, technology company Koninklijke Kuijpers and Museum Speelklok are joining forces. During Girls’ Day, they will present a programme full of technical experiments and activities in and around Music Machines & Me to a hundred secondary school pupils. Girls’ Day is a national day organised by VHTO to interest girls between the ages of 10 and 15 in careers in technology.  

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