Music History

The Museum That’s Preserving the History of Recorded Sound

That settles it. I need to go to Paris to visit this place. From FastCoCreate:

In recent years vinyl has made a significant comeback. What few music stores still exist are packing their shelves with records, not just used ones from classic acts, but rereleases of timeless albums and new releases from today’s hippest artists. And record player sales are on the rise; so much so that Technics, the turntable pioneer, has decided to relaunch its turntable line, which it eliminated in 2010.

While the future looks bright for records themselves, the same can’t be said for one space dedicated to the preservation of the medium’s history. In Paris, nestled in the 9th arrondissement, the Phono Museum is on the brink of extinction. A private initiative by Jalal Aro, a renowned collector and phonograph specialist who also operates La Phonogalerie, the Phono Museum houses an extensive collection that covers 140 years of sound recording, specializing in the first few decades of recorded sound with items such as Thomas Edison’s first experimental machines and the first “talking machines” that date back as early as the late 1870s.

The trouble for the museum is one of investment and municipal support. For its opening in 2014, the founders invested over $30,000 to build the volunteer-run museum, which was modified to become wheelchair accessible, and an appeal to the City of Paris for funding has been unanswered. And admissions alone aren’t enough to cover costs and repay loans. So, in a bid to avoid closure, the museum has launched afundraising campaign to raise enough money to keep operating, and is offering some wholly unique rewards in the process.

Keep reading. (Via Bobby)

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

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