The Victrola marked the beginning of the history of recorded music. Victrola is actually a brand name for a gramophone, which is the grandfather of the record player. The device used a vibrating needle to amplify sound, similar to the record players you may be familiar with, and projected it through a large cone-shaped speaker.

Eldridge Reeves Johnson established the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1901 which produced the Victrola and popularized the mode of playing recorded music. This museum dedicated to him and his invention was established in Delaware in 1967.
Facebook / Johnson Victrola Museum
Exploring the museum provides a fascinating context to musical history in the United States. Though the Victrola may seem far removed from our present day streaming services, you can see the connection from gramophone to Spotify.
Facebook / Johnson Victrola Museum
Without these elaborate and highly decorated gramophone speakers we would never be able to play Beyonce from an iPhone.
Facebook / Johnson Victrola Museum

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Interestingly, the Victor Talking Machine Company still exists, now branded as Victrola, and they now sell contemporary music recording and playing equipment. One of their offerings is a bluetooth speaker stylized like that original gramophone speaker. A modern throwback to music history and the company's origins.
Facebook / Johnson Victrola Museum
E.R. Johnson was from Wilmington, Delaware, which is why the state continues to honor his musical legacy at this museum.
Facebook / Johnson Victrola Museum
You may spot images of a dog around the museum. This was a real dog from England named Nipper. In E.R. Johnson's time he became famous for photographs and paintings showing him "listening to his master's voice" on a gramophone.
Facebook / Johnson Victrola Museum

The Victrola came to life at a bridge point in music history, after people were strictly operating with live music but before you could walk around with an album under your arm. Visiting the Johnson Victrola Museum connects these dots in a lively and engaging way. Learn more about the museum, including hours of operation, here.

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Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S New St, Dover, DE 19901, USA