Considering the great interest in both sound and design of the Hammond organ, we have a special offer for musicians: A ticket allowing you to play the instruments on our exhibition. Thus, we are reaching out to musicians who experiment and seek something new; who are eager to try something unusual; who dream of having their own Hammond organ, but for different reasons do not have it... yet.

Today, the Hammond is an instrument reserved for sublime organ music lovers. The models on our exhibition have an additional advantage – they are old and each has its own story to tell; some of the exhibits were finally revived after years of silence and are now thriving. By the way – playing the organ is not just for professionals. The offer is also dedicated to those who cannot play the organ, yet are eager to play around and appreciate the warm, vibrant tone.

Come visit us!

A premium ticket allowing to play the organ costs 20 PLN. Then you can play as much as you want!

To reserve your visit, please call +48 41 367 62 95.

The Hammond Museum was created in 2017 on the initiative of private collector and Kielce authorities. Administratively, it is currently operating as part of Dom Środowisk Twórczych Tomasza Zielińskiego, Kielce (Tomasz Zieliński Artistic Community Centre).

On May 15th 2021, the Hammond Museum was re-opened in its new location at Zamkowa 5 Street, Kielce. Organ music was gently playing in the background, as guests were waiting for the official ceremony to start. Around 4 PM, Ryszard Pomorski (director at Dom Środowisk Twórczych) and Bogdan Wenta (the Mayor of Kielce) took the stage and officially opened the Hammond Museum. The guests were taken for a tour around the permanent instrument exhibition. During the tour, the visitors experienced a musical performance on the “Playing Stairway” and took part in opening of the Andrzej Zieliński Hall (commemorating the famous composer and founder of the music group Skaldowie). At 5 PM there was a presentation of the Hammond organs by Józef Skrzek and Andrzej Zieliński (accompanied by his family: Jacek, Bogdan and Wojtek Zieliński, with guest appearance by Wołosatki) on the Summer Stage in the DŚT yard. The audience could not get enough of applouse, encores, autographs and photos. Naturally, present at the ceremony was also Paweł Wawrzeńczyk, who has shared a part of his broad organ collection with us.

Laurens Hammond was born on January 11^th, 1895, in Evanston, Illinois, to William Andrew and Idea Louise Strong. From an early age, he showed outstanding technical skills. He spent his childhood in France and Germany.

In 1909, when the Hammond family returned to Evanston, 14-year-old Laurens could already speak French and German fluently. During his time in Europe, he designed automatic transmission for automobiles. Prompted by his mother, he presented his projects to the engineers from the French car manufacturer, Renault, but these were declined. In 1912, he finally obtained his first patent – a one-dollar barometer.

Hammond studied mechanical engineering at Cornell University and graduated with honors in 1916. When the US entered World War I, Hammond served in France with the 16^th Regiment Engineers, American Expeditionary Force; he achieved the rank of captain.

After the war, Laurens Hammond moved to Detroit, where he worked as the chief engineer for the Grey Motor Company, which manufactured marine engines. In 1919 he invented a silent spring-driven clock. This project brought him enough money to leave the company and rent his own space in New York. In 1921, in the lab in his attic, he created a small synchronous electric motor. Over the next year, he focused mainly on developing the so-called 3D filming technique – filming simultaneously with two cameras using the small motor he had designed. While working on this project, he created glasses for 3D movies that we use until this very day (green- and red-colored glasses).

Development of the synchronous motor led Hammond to setting up the Hammond Clock Company. Demand was high, therefore the company soon turned into a large factory. Hammond then came up with numerous further inventions (like an electric bridge table). The electric motor formed the foundation for the development of the sound generator, which later led to creation of the so-called Hammond organ. Hammond applied for patent on January 19^th 1934 and was granted one on April 24^th of the same year. Initially, the Hammond organ was supposed to constitute an alternative to pipe organs in American churches. The instrument can sometimes be heard in American movies, when action takes place inside a church or when it accompanies gospel singers.

The Hammond organ was widely adopted by rock musicians in the sixties. Among the first ones to play it in their bands were Georgie Fame and Graham Bond. The instrument was later used by the so-called British Invasion bands (like The Nice or Procol Harum), then in psychodelic and progressive rock of the seventies (e.g. Pink Floyd), as well as in hard rock (e.g. Deep Purple). In Poland, the Hammond organ was popularized by Czesław Niemen and Andrzej Zieliński.

During World War II, Hammond co-designed guided missile control systems, light sensors for bomb guidance and glide bomb controls.

Laurens Hammond stepped down as the president of his company in 1955 and retired at the age of 65 in 1960. In his career, he held 110 patents. He was married to Roxana Scoville, with whom he had one daughter. Hammond died at the age of 78 on July 3^rd 1973 in Cornwall, Connecticut, where he was also buried.