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New for Summer 2022, visit York Castle Museum’s exciting new display ‘Mechanical Marvels’!

DATE: 7 July 2022

New for Summer 2022, try our new display of historic penny arcade machines at York Castle Museum!

York Castle Museum is excited to open ‘Mechanical Marvels’, a new display of historic penny arcade machines, on 15 July 2022. Fourteen weird and wonderful twentieth century machines will go on display across the museum for people of all ages to find, play and enjoy!

These amazing machines include Automata, Mutoscopes, and a Stereoscope, and depict stories of Dracula, Aladdin, Sooty and many more.

Alongside the series of marvellous machines on display, there’ll be free family activities running throughout the summer holidays, including Punch and Judy shows, storytelling, face painting and crafts.

Helen Thornton, Curator of Social History at York Museums Trust, said: “We’re really excited to launch ‘Mechanical Marvels’ this summer and hope visitors enjoy finding and playing the penny arcade machines as part of their visit to York Castle Museum.

“Automata, Stereoscopes and Mutoscopes are fascinating and fun, and each machine on display is so different! We hope visitors enjoy watching the wide variety of shows on offer, and also learn more about how these marvellous machines work and come to life!”

Mechanical Marvels opens on 15 July 2022 and will run throughout the summer holidays alongside a selection of free family fun activities. Please note that machines are operated

using 20ps, 50ps and pound coins. Change machines will be provided throughout the museum. Find out more about the display on our website Mechanical Marvels | York Castle Museum.

York Castle Museum is open daily, Monday from 11am – 5pm and Tuesday – Sunday from 10am – 5pm. Pre-booking is advised at www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk.


Key:

Automata – animated and automatic mechanical figures

Mutoscopes – early motion picture devices

Stereoscopes – viewing devices which makes photographs appear 3-D