I’m aware that I’m jumping the gun. World Accordion Day is May 6, and National Accordion Awareness Month isn’t until June. But I just couldn’t wait to write about our visit to the World of Accordions Museum in Superior, Wisconsin.
I’ve driven past the unassuming building on a busy street corner hundreds of times on my way to work and finally had time to take a peek last weekend. Inside are over 3,000 accordions and probably every ceramic figurine ever made that’s holding an accordion. The museum contains instruments from all over the world: Ireland, Spain, Germany, Scandinavia, etc. —from primitive concertinas to highly embellished accordions from the Vaudeville era that feature abalone. We even noticed a wooden accordion.
The World of Accordions Museum was founded by Helmi Strahl Harrington in 1993. Our tour guide told us that Helmi’s mother was an accordionist who was conscripted in Hitler’s Germany to teach SAS wives to play the accordion. The family escaped to America and Helmi continued the family accordion tradition. She learned how to maintain accordions through a technical college in Red Wing, Minnesota. Although she currently has cancer, she hasn’t let that stop her from teaching accordion students and repairing accordions.
The nonprofit museum also houses a music and files room and a concert hall in what used to be the sanctuary of a former Episcopal Church. Our helpful tour guide said she got hooked on the museum when she came in for a tour. Now, she’s taking lessons and giving the tours herself. She even let us try our hand(s) at playing an accordion.
Due to my dust allergies, I couldn’t spend as much time in the museum as I wanted. My sinuses began to ache! But before we left, one interesting thing we learned was that blond bombshell and actress Mae West was married to an accordionist. His name was Frank Szatkus, whose stage name was Frank Wallace. He agreed to keep their marriage secret to help West’s career. According to Wikipedia, the couple never lived together as husband and wife. When asked, West insisted that they had separate bedrooms, and that soon after their marriage, she sent him away in a show of his own to get rid of him. They married in 1911 and divorced in 1942. Was it because of the accordion?? We may never know.
One of my favorite store chains, Drink Wisconsibly, has made a YouTube video about the museum, which is fun to watch.
The museum has an annual festival in early May, centered around World Accordion Day. They offer workshops, talks, and concerts. Keep your eyes out for info about that. It would be a good excuse to visit if you just can’t get enough of accordions.
Marie's Meanderings 
A very cool museum. I like accordions in Mexican and in Tex-Mex music.
I’ve grown to enjoy accordion music. I especially like traditional Tango performed with accordion and brass band.
Oooh, tango accordion – I like that!
You scored some interesting historical tidbits, Marie. I’m sort of neutral on accordion music. Can take it or leave it.
The history was thanks to our great tour guide, but I did look up some info about Mae West. My parents overdosed me on polka music growing up, so I don’t care for that, but I do like accordions in other musical styles.
Thanks Marie, for this interesting post! I wish I’d learned to play one!
Hi Ashley! I appreciated getting to try the accordion at the museum. It seems challenging because you can’t really see your fingers. I have no desire to learn it, but I am considering taking hammered dulcimer lessons someday.
That sounds good, Marie, good luck. 🎶🎵
Wow, what a fun museum! I really only connected accordions with polkas. There was a time when every wedding played at least one polka for the older guests. 😊
You might be surprised where accordions show up in music besides polkas. They’re even in country music. I wonder if polkas are still a thing at weddings? I do recall that, but I haven’t been to a wedding in a while.
I’m not sure either about polkas at weddings these days. The last wedding that I went to was about 10 years ago, and there were not any polkas. And since I am not a fan of polkas, the DJ’s music selection was okay with me.
A fascinating post, Marie. It brought back embarrassing childhood memories. I always wanted to learn how to play the piano, but that was beyond my working-class parents’ budget. So they bought me an accordion instead. Imagine a tiny stick of a 5-year-old girl with a huge instrument strapped across her chest! I survived and it did teach me to read the treble clef on music scores. By my teen years, I had traded it for a guitar. 😂
Oh my, you paint a wonderfully awkward image! I’m glad you survived the accordion and don’t blame you for trading it in.
I’ve always wanted to go in here to check out the museum. My grandparents were married in this church. And I attended a wedding here when I was young.
That’s so cool that you were inside the church when it was a church. The museum is worth a look. It’s open on weekends and some of the later weekdays. Maybe your grandkids would like it?
i grew up listening to polka music, so i love accordions!
You’ll have to visit this museum some day!