A museum in Mexico has now re-opened, after months of refurbishments. The Swiss-born owner, Markus Frehner, proudly opened the doors to his Tlalpan Museum of Time after the museum was remodelled. The grand re-opening even sported a concert from violinist Yuriko Kuronuma to celebrate the occasion.
Frehner’s museum pays homage to anything relating to time. Frehner’s venture originally began life as a repair shop until 2000 when he decided to open his very own museum to share his collection with the world. For over 20 years Frehner has been collecting mechanical and antique clocks from across the world, including countries across Europe.
In July, the museum was relocated to a new location that required some works to be completed. Until the 18th December, the museum had been closed to carry out these much-needed repairs, which equated to around £20,000 worth of work. Through the help of friends and small loans Frehner was able to see the works done. The next phase of the plan is to obtain patio space to allow the museum to host events and workshops for children.
Located in an old part of Tlalpan in Mexico, the 19th century building categorised as historical by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), couldn’t be more perfect for this unique museum.
His collection, along with clocks ranging from antique desk clocks to grandfather clocks, sports phonographs, musical boxes, vacuum tube radio sets and jukeboxes makes this the perfect spot for anyone who appreciates timepieces of all kinds; and not forgetting the antique bronze sculptures, toys and furniture that add to the quirky atmosphere. Rounding up to around 1,500 unique, working objects, spanning from the 1700’s to the 1900’s, his interactive museum, with a ring, ding and tweet-twoo, offers you a journey through time.
Frehner keeps all of his prized possessions in full working order, in order to display these pieces in all of their glory. Commenting on the reason why he maintains all of his timepieces Frehner said: “[he does it] for the youths and children that no longer know what these things are and what they were used for.”
In an interview with the newspaper Milenio, Frehner commented, “This is a different project; people might expect to find everything stored and showcased in cabinets, but the experience here is completely different because they get the chance to see these objects working.
“People can see the inner workings of a mechanical clock, listen to an Edison phonograph from the turn of the 20th century or a record from the 1920s.”
Beaming about his collection, Frehner added: “It’s the real sound from the real devices…. [offering others this experience] gives sense to an effort like this.”
If you’re planning a trip away, Mexico might be the best place to go. Along with the gorgeous beaches (like this one) you can also visit this timepiece museum which is bound to be a truly fascinating experience in itself.
Image credits:Enrico Donelli, available under creative commons.
