The Historic Carousel and Museum, Albany Oregon
Creating Community Through the Artistry of Carousel Building
The Historic Carousel and Museum is a group of community volunteers working to bring the magic of carousels to Historic Downtown Albany. We are working to:
- Create a menagerie of unique carousel animals that are hand-carved and hand-painted using traditional styles and techniques. There will be 52 animals and two chariots, plus 6 alternates.
- Preserve and restore the 1909 Dentzel carousel mechanism acquired through a donation arranged by the Dentzel family through the National Carousel Association.
- Build a world class carousel complex that will house the finished carousel along with space for community events, studios for carving and painting, a gift shop and a museum to preserve carousel history.
With 16 animals completed, 10 in the paint studio and 30 in various stages of carving we are well on our way to an expected completion date of 2015.
We open our carving and painting studios to visitors and currently average 2,000 visitors a month. These visitors get to witness firsthand the folk art of carousel carving and painting as our volunteer artisans bring each animal to life. We find that visitors often pick a favorite animal and come back time and time again to watch that animal move from a sketch on paper, to the hand-carving studio, through the painting process and into the art studio as a finished work of art (usually about two years). Admission is free!
Everyone is encouraged to learn these crafts and it is a vital part of our vision that we share our talents and expertise. We envision a studio where artisans from all over the world share their skills and pass on their enthusiasm for craftsmanship. It is also part of our vision to educate the public about the history of carousels though the building of our museum, which already has a good start through items donated from the Dentzel family.
We are housed at 503 1st Ave. West, Albany OR. When looking for the best possible location the Board of Directors worked with community members and elected officials. The site was purchased in January 2006 with the help of a grant from the Central Albany Revitalization Area. The entire project (carving and painting studios, mechanism restoration shop and museum) is now housed at this location. This property is owned, free and clear by the Historic Carousel and Museum, and is where the new complex will be built.
As visitors from around the country are discovering the exciting and creative work going on here we are becoming a destination point that will contribute to the economic revitalization of our community. A carousel truly does enchant young and old alike – and we see the evidence of this everyday as families pass through our doors and delight in seeing our magical menagerie of animals.
