Kotzschmar Memorial Organ, Municipal pipe organ at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, United States.
The Kotzschmar Memorial Organ is a large pipe organ located in Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine. The instrument consists of thousands of pipes arranged throughout different sections of the auditorium, including one section that rises several stories in height.
The organ was built in 1911 by a prominent American organ-building company and ranked among the world's largest instruments when completed. It became a landmark during the 20th century and shaped Portland's musical tradition.
The instrument's name comes from an organist whose decades of playing shaped the instrument's role in the city's cultural life. This connection ties together the organ and Portland's musical identity.
The organ can be experienced through regular concerts and performances held at Merrill Auditorium throughout the year. Visitors should check the event schedule in advance and plan to share the full venue space with other attendees.
The instrument features a special section with modern sound effects that goes beyond what traditional organs typically produce. This unusual addition shows how the organ was expanded over the years to support contemporary music.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
