Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum

Mechanical minds and musical mavens travelling through the BC Interior shouldn't miss the Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum, a quirky and legendary showcase of automatic music devices spanning hundreds of years.

Housed in an early 20th century building once home to a pool hall/tobacco shop/bowling alley/dental surgery, the structure's colourful past is just about as fascinating as the antique instruments it houses. From an 18th century barrel organ, to a 650+ pipe Aeolian pipe organ, to juke boxes and magic lanterns, the museum's tours and Vintage Movie Nights provide an interactive history of mechanized music for everyone to explore.

The Revelstoke Nickelodeon Mechanical Music Collection is the only museum of its kind in western Canada that is open to the public. The tours illustrate how automatic music evolved from the 18th century to the 1950s. Instruments from North America and Europe (such as Belgium and Holland) round out the collection, as well as devices designed by Edison, HMV/Victor, and Columbia. Rare instruments, such as the EMG Hand Made Gramophone with a 30" paper mache horn are also on display. The vintage radio collection includes working inventions from the birth of broadcasting through to the 1980s.

Tours through the Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum are about an hour in length and include a guided explanation and exploration of the history of automatic music. Guides play about 20 instruments during the tour; depending on busyness they will sometimes allow guests to try the instruments out themselves.

The Museum Gift Shop is definitely another must see, featuring all kinds of curious and unpronounceable musical contraptions (antique/restored and modern) for sale, as well as a variety of flip books, mechanical toys, and endearing hand-finished figurines.

Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum was awarded the TripAdvisor 2013 Certificate of Excellence.

Opening hours:

Tuesdays to Saturdays: 10 am - 5 pm