Swansea Museum in hunt for musical instruments

Feb. 20, 2009 - PRLog -- HISTORY buffs at Swansea Museum are looking for your help in putting on an exhibition devoted to musical instruments made in the local area.

Bosses at the Victoria Road attraction are planning an exhibition in March and April that will focus on instruments made in Swansea and the music played on them.

So anyone with instruments, tools, photographs, adverts or anything else relevant to the theme is being asked to get in touch.

The exhibition is looking to build on a fantastic 2008 at the Swansea Council-run museum when over 184,000 visitors poured through its doors- 20,000 more than the year before.

Roger Gale, Swansea Museum's exhibitions and events officer, said: "From the mid 19th Century until the present day Swansea has had many craftsmen making a vast variety of goods.

"It is, after all, inevitable that a busy port will have received visitors from across the world who all brought their skills and influences to the local area.

"Some then even settled in Swansea and set up businesses with workshops in the Wind Street and High Street areas which became a renowned quarter for highly skilled artisans such as clock makers, marine instrument makers, furniture makers, bookbinders, leather workers musical instrument makers.

"In fact, around fifteen violin makers worked in the area with several creating beautiful instruments that are still giving pleasure a hundred years later.

"And, as well as violin makers, there were makers of every sort of musical instrument from flutes to organs.

"This industry supported repairers and tuners and suppliers of spare parts and there were many retail music shops all over Swansea.

"We're looking to bring back the sights and sounds of this largely lost time."

Anyone who has items that may be of interest should contact Roger on 01792 653763 or on roger.gale@swansea.gov.uk

For more information on Swansea Museum visit http://www.swansea.gov.uk/swanseamuseum.

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