Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum

The Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum is a factory museum in North Tonawanda that preserves six original buildings, including a mill, carving shop, paint shop, roundhouse, and assembly areas. The site displays where carousels were hand-crafted, painted, and assembled.

The Allan Herschell Company began carousel production at this location in 1876 and produced over a thousand examples over the decades before the factory closed in 1959. The site was later transformed into a museum to preserve this chapter of industrial history.

The handcrafted techniques of carousel building are visible here through woodcarvings, old machinery, and painting methods from the early 1900s. Visitors can walk through the work areas and see how artisans built these elaborate wooden creations step by step.

The best visit starts in the morning when the buildings are less crowded and you can see machines and details more clearly. Wear sturdy shoes, as floors are uneven and you will walk through many different areas.

The Wurlitzer Music Department houses one of the few working Wurlitzer Perforators in the world, still producing music rolls for band organs. This rare machine shows how composers had their works translated into mechanical form.