Gramophones Museum, St. Petersburg

The museum is based on the collection of the Honoured Russian Art Worker Vladimir Deriabkin. With over 400 seperate examples of musical equipment, this is one of the biggest collections of musical equipment in the world. There are no restricted areas or signs everywhere saying "do not touch". The staff are a friendly bunch, and will offer you tea and cookies as well as a more serious chat. And, of course, gramophones playing different melodies from the past provide background listening. You'll hear an old circus march, or the voice of the famous Russian singers Shaliapin or Kamarinskaia. The museum also hosts various music and literary events.