Historical Instruments

WHERE HISTORY & MUSIC COME TOGETHER

Historical Musical Instruments at the New York State Fair

The Empire State Theatre & Musical Instrument Museum at the New York State Fairgrounds has on display various instruments including brass horns and stringed instruments. Antique phonographs and mechanical machines help to tell the complete story. This museum is one of only a few in the world that feature movie theatre exhibits of film and slide projection equipment and rare surviving examples of architectural artifacts from the golden era of the movie palace.

Some of the most amazing instruments include our historic organs and pianos of yesteryear.

RKO Keith Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ

Saved from R.K.O. Keith Theatre in Syracuse, NY in 1966, A group came together to save the organ and place it at the New York State Fairgrounds in the Art and Home Center.

Discover The Historic RKO Keith Theatre Organ

Aeolian-Hammond Player Organ

Saved from R.K.O. Keith Theatre in Syracuse, NY in 1966, A group came together to save the organ and place it at the New York State Fairgrounds in the Art and Home Center.

Learn About the Aeolian-Hammond Player Organ

National Automatic Coin Piano

The coin piano, resembles a keyboard piano in appearance but not having a keyboard. This coin piano was equipped with a “ferris wheel style” 8-roll automatic song changer.

The National Automatic Coin Piano