What kind of research goes into the design, creation, and maintenance of a museum dedicated to the culture and history of sound? Now’s your chance to find out, as we unlock our Research Library and present the Museum of Portable Sound Research Library Catalogue: 1,400 books, articles, patents, manuals, audio recordings, and more – including linksContinue reading “Research Library Catalogue Now Available”
Author Archives: Dr John Kannenberg
Reviews in Digital Humanities reviews our museum
The open-source online journal Reviews in Digital Humanities has posted a thoughtful review of our museum written by musician Rebecca Gates. The review is part of the journal’s September 2021 special issue devoted to sound, guest edited by Mary Caton Lingold.
Object of the Week: environments 9
Each week on our social media accounts, we post an Object of the Week from our Physical Objects Collection or Research Library. This week’s object is a new acquisition that we are also publishing here due to its extensive text-based content, which we are presenting as a free PDF. This week’s object is an originalContinue reading “Object of the Week: environments 9”
Ecsite 2021 Conference Appearance
Earlier today our Director & Chief Curator appeared as part of The Power of Sound, a panel session that took place at the Ecsite European Network of Science Centres & Museums 2021 conference. The session was convened by Michèle Antoine of Universcience in Paris, and also featured presentations about sound-based exhibitions by Mark Read ofContinue reading “Ecsite 2021 Conference Appearance”
Remembering George Floyd Silent Online Memorial Archived
More than 150 people gathered last night to memorialise George Floyd and all victims of racial intolerance in an online silent tribute organised by Marcus Ryder MBE on the one year anniversary of Floyd’s murder at the hands of police. The group remained silent for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, the length of time Floyd’sContinue reading “Remembering George Floyd Silent Online Memorial Archived”
Soundscape™ Barbie Online Exhibition Now Open
In 2019, we unleashed Soundscape™ Barbie onto an unsuspecting world. Now we’ve created an online exhibition exploring the complex public reactions to this controversial curio!
Online Visit Review in Museum Mutterings Blog
The Museum Mutterings blog has posted a review of their resident critic’s recent Online Visit to the Museum of Portable Sound, and they had some wonderful things to say – we are immensely grateful for the kind words!
Historic Dockyard Chatham blog review & interview
Historic Dockyard Chatham have published a review of their online visit to our museum.
We’re Featured in the New York Times!
On 26 December 2020, the New York Times featured our museum in their At Home calendar.
2020 Annual Report
Last week, we presented our 2020 Annual Report to our museum’s Trustees and Board of Directors.
Announcing the Museum of Portable Sound Conference – Abstracts Due 1 Nov!
We’re having a Sound Studies conference – and you’re invited to submit a proposal for it! In November 2021, we will host the inaugural Museum of Portable Sound Conference – an online conference featuring traditional conference papers, audio papers, and essay films – about areas of Sound Studies beyond music and ‘sound art’! Be sureContinue reading “Announcing the Museum of Portable Sound Conference – Abstracts Due 1 Nov!”
Announcing Our First Ever Online Exhibition: MP3@25, A Celebration Of A Quarter Century Of Worldwide Compressed Digital Audio
MP3@25: The Anniversary Exhibition, 1995–2020Opens Online 14 July 2020 What is an MP3? What is the history of the MP3? What is the legacy of the MP3? We’ll be investigating these questions and more in this provocative free online exhibition which explores how a file type can change the world. Features work by Suzanne Vega,Continue reading “Announcing Our First Ever Online Exhibition: MP3@25, A Celebration Of A Quarter Century Of Worldwide Compressed Digital Audio”
Our Adult Colouring-In Book Now Available
Relax, learn, and create! The Museum of Portable Sound Adult Colouring-In Book tells a mini-history of portable sound technologies through a series of patent drawings suitable for colouring in! Includes drawings of the first transistor radio, the ‘Miami Vice’ mobile phone, the Walkman, the iPod, and much more! Each drawing includes a descriptive object label,Continue reading “Our Adult Colouring-In Book Now Available”
Free Audiobook: The How And Why Wonder Book Of Sound
Museum of Portable Sound Press has produced its first-ever audiobook, and you can listen to it for FREE on our Bandcamp page! You can also download a copy (and if you’d like to leave a donation, that would be swell!) This 1962 children’s book makes for a great listen, especially with our Director’s annotations andContinue reading “Free Audiobook: The How And Why Wonder Book Of Sound”
Visit Us Online!
Until further notice, due to the Covid-19 outbreak we will now be conducting visits to the Museum of Portable Sound exclusively online. You’ll still get the same one-on-one access you’re used to, but now it will be via the magic of video chat. Learn more and book your Online Visit!
2019: Our Year In Pictures
Here are 12 highlights of our institution’s activities in 2019 – it’s been an eventful and productive year, and here’s to an even bigger and better 2020!
Unlocking Our Sound Heritage at The Keep, Brighton, UK
Yesterday our staff had the honour of visiting The Keep Archives in Brighton, Sussex, home to one of the satellite offices of the British Library’s Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project is working to digitise analogue sound recordings for the UK-wide #SaveOurSounds archiving project. Our Acquisitions Team collected several sounds of the Keep’s recording and playbackContinue reading “Unlocking Our Sound Heritage at The Keep, Brighton, UK”
What Causes The Sound Of Thunder?
The latest addition to our Video Gallery is now viewable at our YouTube Channel!
Celebrate Our Grand Re-Re-Re-Opening & 40 Years of the Sony Walkman at the National Science and Media Museum
On 1 July 2019, the Sony Walkman will turn 40 years old. We’re teaming up with the National Science and Media Museum to celebrate this milestone. The Sony Walkman was a breakthrough in portable technology that changed the way the world listens. It allowed individuals to create their own sound environment, opening up a new, cinematic,Continue reading “Celebrate Our Grand Re-Re-Re-Opening & 40 Years of the Sony Walkman at the National Science and Media Museum”
Photos from the V&A Sonic Boom Friday Late, February 2019
Appearing at V&A Friday Late: Sonic Boom, 22 February
Our Director and Chief Curator will be appearing twice at the upcoming Sonic Boom Friday late at the V&A museum in London on 22 February! First, Director Kannenberg will be participating in a panel discussion, ‘How Do You Listen In Museums?’ alongside V&A visiting researcher Eric de Visscher and V&A Senior Curator for Contemporary DesignContinue reading “Appearing at V&A Friday Late: Sonic Boom, 22 February”
What is the Museum of Portable Sound?
Find out in only two minutes thanks to this handy little infomercial now available at our YouTube Channel!
Coming soon: The Record that Went to Space
We are thrilled to announce that this autumn, thanks to the cooperation of Ozma Records, we will present SOUNDS OF EARTH: THE RECORD THAT WENT TO SPACE. This special exhibition will consist of the twelve minute long montage of field recordings that was intended to represent what Earth sounds like in the event that extraContinue reading “Coming soon: The Record that Went to Space”
New Exhibition Trailer: Portable Sound in Cinema 1979-2000
Watch the trailer for our latest temporary exhibition – and our first ever video exhibition – a survey of portable sound technology on display in late 20th century cinema! Find out more about the exhibition and book your own visit!
OUT NOW: The 4′33″ Museum book & audio box set!
We’re pleased to announce the release of a new printed book and digital audio box set, The 4′33” Museum! This deluxe printed book and digital audio set includes nearly 4 hours of sounds from 50 different museums around the world, and the book contains full-colour photographs, notes, and an essay on collecting. Our Director and Chief CuratorContinue reading “OUT NOW: The 4′33″ Museum book & audio box set!”
The Museum of Portable Sound 