Discs & Machines, also known as Sunny's Gramophone Museum, is a unique private museum located about an hour's drive from Kottayam, Kerala, India. It's a treasure trove for music lovers and history buffs alike, housing a massive collection of gramophones, phonographs, records, and other vintage machines.
The museum is the brainchild of Mr. Sunny Mathew, a retired forest officer who has been collecting these items for over 40 years. His passion and dedication are evident in the meticulously curated collection, which includes:
- Over 100,000 gramophone records made of various materials like shellac, vinyl, paper, and aluminum
- Around 260 gramophones, phonographs, and record players
- Vintage cars
- Valve radios
- Tape recorders
- Old telephones
- Sewing machines
The museum also boasts a collection of the first-ever recorded music in India, featuring the voice of a 14-year-old Soshi Mukhi. You'll also find recordings of iconic figures from modern Indian history, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, and Rabindranath Tagore.
Discs & Machines is a great place to step back in time and learn about the history of recorded sound. The museum is open to the public on Sundays from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and there is no entry fee.
Here are some additional tips for planning your visit to Discs & Machines:
- Since it's a private museum, it's best to call ahead (93874 73424) to confirm the timings.
- Wear comfortable shoes as you'll be doing some walking around the museum.
- Photography is allowed, so don't forget to capture some memories of your visit.
- If you're interested in learning more about the history of recorded sound, be sure to ask Mr. Mathew for a guided tour. He is a wealth of information and his enthusiasm for his collection is contagious.