Estey Organ Museum

"For generations, the name of Estey was, and perhaps in some places still is, literally a household word," writes a business history magazine. Estey reed, pipe, and electronic organs were found in homes and churches in the Americas, Europe, and even Asia and Africa. Near the end of the 19th century, the Estey Organ Company was reputed to be the largest manufacturing establishment of its kind.

Today, the name of Jacob Estey is largely forgotten except among musicians, organ fanciers, and a few historians. Yet from the late 1800s through the 1950s, the Estey Organ Company was a familiar name. And unlike the automated manufacturing of today, Estey Organ Company was a craft business employing relatively few, highly specialized workers to build what are now regarded as near works of art.

To explore the historical and musical significance of the Estey Organ Company further, we have started the Estey Organ Museum. One of the goals of the Estey Organ Museum project is to capture Estey's unique time in history, from the point of view of Estey's owners, workers, customers, and neighbors.

Our Mission

The Estey Organ Museum was founded in 2002 as a 501(3)(c) non-profit corporation to celebrate the heritage of Estey Organ Company of Brattleboro, Vermont by the collection, restoration, display and performance of Estey and other organs; by the preservation, research, interpretation and dissemination of historical information about the company, its products and manufacturing practices, its owners, employees, markets, customers and competitors, and its effect in the context of Brattleboro and American history over time; and by the creation of a museum in which the aforementioned activities may occur.

What's Planned

In simple terms, we plan to create a world-class interactive music museum devoted to all things Estey. The museum we envision will allow visitors to explore and learn about music, social history, craft industries, and much more. As part of a permanent collection, the museum will preserve and make available for the public Estey and other organs, giving people a chance to examine a wide range of styles, models and features up close and hear their wonderful sound.

Why stop there? The museum will be home to exhibits and activities giving visitors the full period flavor, including recreations of Victorian parlors, profiles and stories of Estey employees, organs that visitors can try out, and interactive exhibits that teach how reed, pipe, and electronic organs were made and how they work. Special events will include organ restoration classes, concerts and musical competitons, and historical events.

We have purchased the Engine House and are currently raising money to purchase and restore more of the original Estey factory buildings to house the museum. We have opened a small preview gallery in the Engine House. The full museum is in the planning stages, with grants from the National Parks Service Preserv America award, the Town of Brattleboro, and other support.

Want To Volunteer?

There's a lot to do, so if you're interested in helping out with this project, visit our Contact page or feel free to contact us at: info@esteyorganmuseum.org.

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