Hi All,  I couldn't agree more with Andy Taylor.  A player piano is
there to be played, which in my opinion brings even greater joy than
just listening to it.

Once a year the KDV (Kring van Draaiorgelvrienden) organizes a fair
organ rally in the Dutch Open Air Museum in Arnhem (The Netherlands).
The NPV (Nederlandse Pianolavereniging - Dutch Pianola Society) also
joins in and displays at least one player piano (two years ago we
also displayed a Weber Unika).

Children are really enthusiast when they see and hear the thing play.
Technically the instrument is okay (excepting the Themodist parts,
sadly) even though it looks like sh**.  The thing is hauled over to
any location or event which calls for a player piano.

The children often look at it for quite some time.  They rarely ask
if they can play, but then we ask them if they want to try it, too,
and you see the smiles on their faces get bigger.  Some push the pedals
like they've always been doing it, others just get a weak sound out of
it on the first try, but after some instructions most can do a really
decent job.

"I want one, Mommy," is often heard after that, which is exactly
what we're trying to do -- to get children (and adults) interested in
mechanical music.

A particular museum here in the Netherlands lets children join the fun
too, in having them play a roll.  Another museum has the "Don't touch
the instruments" signs all over the place.  I can understand why this
museum (and others) do so.  They can't supervise what's going on at all
times as it's too costly, though they have camera supervision.  But
with that they are almost always too late if something happens.

There are really delicate instruments in this museum to which the
"Don't touch" rules apply more than to the player pianos and organs.
Nobody will shout at you if you briefly touch a player piano, but if
you start playing it they will.

Another reason for that is because the collection is so big.  This
means the guides don't have much knowledge about the individual
pieces.  They'd have to do a year of study for that alone, I guess.
So if somebody starts playing a player piano, they can't really tell
what that person is doing.

In the smaller museums this problem isn't around, as small groups
of people can be supervised by somebody who knows a lot about the
collection, so more is possible that way.

In case of the tractor show, why bother bringing the thing when you
can hardly stand it if somebody even looks at it.  These shows are the
number one occasion to get some other folks interested, not to scare
them away.

Another opinion (or the same...),
Niels Berkers, from rainy Arnhem

 [ Niels is webmaster for Nederlandse Pianolavereniging, visit
 [ their new web site at  http://www.pianolavereniging.nl/
 [ -- Robbie