by The Baynerhof Museum is one of those places you tour because the reviews tell you to – 130 five-star reviews on TripAdvisor is pretty epic. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but it was pretty great.
The museum is technically for the automated musical instrument collection from the 19th and 20th centuries. Those in of themselves were pretty stunning – things I never dreamed existed, including ones that “automatedly” played violins and a saxophone! We got to see and hear quite a few unbelievable performances.
But the house itself is also a museum. It’s 19,000 square feet, and sits on a dramatic overlook 540 feet above the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, PA. It was the private residence of Charles Brown III (1935-1999), who was the founder of the Gas-Lite Manufacturing Company. It includes a rooftop observatory, an indoor cave (manmade), a swimming pool that defies description, wet bars in nearly every room, secret passages, and more – not to mention the “wowza” decorating, much of it German-themed. By the end my jaw was hanging open and I suspected Mr. Brown may have been a madman (but in a good way).
Part of what made it great was our guide, an epic story-teller who brought Mr. Brown to life. The guide had a great sense of humor and a flare for the dramatic. The tour was only $10 but went on for over 2 hours – and truly, we saw things I don’t think you’re going to see anywhere else. If you find yourself in Pittsburgh, this is worth carving out time for.
