World Accordion Museum Alliance (WAMA), Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA)

Director: Kevin Friedrich (USA)
Assistant Director: Kimmo Mattila (Finland)
Executive Officer: Harley Jones (New Zealand)
World Accordion Museum Alliance Members

Welcome to the World Accordion Museum Alliance (WAMA)

The World Accordion Museum Alliance is a global initiative held under the auspices of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA), to coordinate the efforts of Accordion Museums and collectors around the world. Within the CIA member nations, Accordion Museums are found in Austria, China, Finland, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Sweden, the USA and more, with private collections being held in many other member nations. We aim to unify our collective efforts to ensure that the history and development of our instrument is protected well into the future.

World Accordion Museum Alliance (WAMA) Mission Statement

The World Accordion Museum Alliance is an International partnership committed to the conservation, protection and promotion of our global accordion heritage. Our common responsibility is to preserve our accordion related treasures, document the accordion's cultural heritage, encourage discoveries and tell our story for future generations.

World Accordion Museum Alliance (WAMA) Global Initiatives

WAMA aims to carry out International missions in association with the CIA and its member nations, affording the opportunity to discuss and reflect on museum and heritage related issues such as: documenting and digitalization of accordion heritage information as found in various cultures represented by its member nations; developing a digital platform where information can be researched and shared; creating a global data base of instrument collections utilizing recognized Museum standards; exploring enhanced business models for Museums’ financial sustainability; building alliances and partnerships within and outside of the Museum field and ensuring future generations of Museum leadership and collection entrustment.

World Accordion Museum Alliance (WAMA) - Membership

Accordion Museum Member (Museum facility regularly open to the general public)
Individual Collector (collection that can be viewed by appointment)
Individual Member (interested parties and private collectors)
Honorary Member (renowned individuals with accordion repair and preservation expertise)
Benefactor (those wishing to assist both physically and financially)

To join the WAMA Alliance, please contact
General Secretary - Kimmo Mattila
Kyrösselänkatu 3,
FIN-39500 Ikaalinen, FINLAND.
Phone: +358 40 8496221

secretariat_cia@harmonikkaliitto.net

World Accordion Museum Alliance Members

	China Tacheng Accordion Museum Tacheng, China Director and Curator - Yulan Ma
	The Tacheng Accordion Museum in Xinjiang, China, is a unique cultural venue showcasing over 1,000 accordions from more than a dozen countries, including Russia, Germany, Italy, France and China. The modern state of the art facility is designed to showcase the history of the accordion and the cultural fusion of East and West, with many instruments recognized as cultural relics Founded by collector Dawran Dosanhan, the renowned collection and exhibits highlight Tacheng's rich, multicultural musical heritage, featuring rare, historical, and handmade instruments. Housed in the magnificent purpose built accordion museum building in Tacheng, just 11 kms from the border with Kazakhstan, the museum reflects the deep love for the accordion in Tacheng, where it is considered a symbol of the city. Visitors are treated to live performances and multimedia presentations as they enjoy their tour.



	Finland Ikaalinen Accordion Museum Ikaalinen, Finland Director and Curator - Kimmo Mattila
	The Ikaalinen Accordion Museum presents the history of the accordion spanning approximately 150 years. On display is an extensive collection of instruments and photographs. The exhibition features nearly 100 accordions, the oldest of which date back to the 1860s. The primary focus is on Finnish accordion craftsmanship, which boasts a colorful and diverse history. The collection includes models from the famous Kouvola and Vyborg (Viipuri) accordion factories, as well as instruments crafted in Sameli Elomaa's home workshop in Kurikka. Also featured are instruments from various other Finnish builders, such as: Daavid Majaniemi, The Välimäki brothers, Pentti Taskula, Kuusankosken Harmonikka, Verneri Lehtimäki, Svante Kujanen, Aaro Luukinen, and others



	Italy Museo della Fisarmonica Castelfidardo, Italy Director and Curator - Alessandro Mugno
	The town of Castelfidardo, Italy officially opened the International Accordion Museum on 9 May 1981. Castelfidardo is known all over the world for the production of this instrument, thanks to the ingenuity of Paolo Soprani who created the first Italian accordion company in 1863. Paolo Soprani was the first of a long series of craftsmen, entrepreneurs and artists who dedicated their lives to making, developing and promoting the accordion. The world renowned International Accordion Museum pays homage to these greats who have contributed to the economic and cultural transformation of our land. The Museum is housed in a completely renovated seventeenth-century building of the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), which occupies an area of over 500 square meters, with 100 of the finest historical accordions on rotating display chosen from the 500 belonging to the complete collection that has been added to over the years. This space entirely dedicated to the accordion was created thanks to the patronage of the Local Council and the Proloco (Local Tourist Board), following the participation of a delegation of citizens from Castelfidardo, composed of Vincenzo Canali, Beniamino Bugiolacchi and the “accordion poet” Gervasio Marcosignori. The Accordion Museum is a place of art, history, culture and craftsmanship and represents one of the finest museums in the Marche Region.



	New Zealand Accordion Gems Exhibition at the Dargaville Museum - Te Whare Taonga o Tunatahi Dargaville, New Zealand Curator - Kevin Friedrich
	The Accordion Gems, A Master Collection of Accordions through Time exhibit begins with a depiction of the first arrival of the accordion in New Zealand in 1839 in an encounter between Edward Jerningham Wakefield and Maori Chief Te Kāeaea. From there, the permanent 200 accordion family instrument collection showcases some of the earliest and rarest examples of the accordion from a one of a kind 1 bass c1831 Flutina through to a family of Tiger accordions, automation, electronic, a commissioned mosaic accordion honoring those who served in the NZ military, decorative vaudeville and numerous and unique keyboard configuration instruments. Housed in the Heritage New Zealand, Pouhere Taonga designated Historic Landmark status former Aratapu Library music wing at the Dargaville Museum, items of New Zealand interest include tributes to the Air New Zealand Accordion Orchestra, local immigrant arrivals, New Zealand accordion identities and the flourishing Dargaville accordion scene. Many of the instruments, including the oldest c1831 6 key Flutina are frequently used during the regular Museum community fundraising concerts.



	Sweden Dragspelsarkivet Accordion Museum Kramfors, Sweden Director and Curator - Jörgen Sundeqvist
	The Dragspelsarkivet (Accordion Archive) in Kramfors, Sweden began after the passing of Hans-Erik Nääs, one of four renowned accordionists from the The Ångerman River, alongside Andrew Walter and brothers Karl and Erling Grönstedt. Nääs's relatives donated his instruments, sheet music, documents, and other belongings to the Kramfors Municipality. The collection was later expanded with many other items, including those from the Grönstedt estate. The Kramfors Accordion Club was entrusted with the responsibility of managing the collection and after a few moves seeing the collection housed in Sandslån and Mannaminne in Häggvik, where some items are still housed, from 2017, the main collection is now displayed on the upper level of the Gudmundrå Heritage Center in Kramfors. Groups and private individuals come here for guided tours, and we are also contacted by people who want to come here for various types of research or deeper studies," says Jörgen Sundeqvist. Here you can find unique accordions, sheet music, photographs, newspaper clippings, books, posters, and curiosities. There are even complete editions of the magazine AccordionJournalen from 1949 to 1959. "Our section of accordion records includes several thousand pieces, not least after we took over the fantastic collection of collector Sven Bergvall." We have both hand-cranked gramophones and a regular vinyl player here that we and our guests can use to listen to the music found on the shellac records, among others. This is a musical treasure," Jörgen Sundeqvist notes. Curated by Jörgen and Päivi Sundeqvist and Bertil Sjölander, the Dragspelsarkivet is one of Sweden's finest accordion museums and recently began collaboration with the Association Archive in Härnösand to digitize materials including photos, sheet music, letters, and manuscripts.



	USA A World of Accordions Museum Superior, Wisconsin – USA President and Curator - Helmi Harrington, Ph.D
	A World of Accordions Museum is nationally and internationally recognized as holding one of the world's finest and most comprehensive collections of accordion-family instruments shown in chronological evolution, countries of origin, specific usage and quality classifications. Of the almost 3,000 displayed instruments spanning almost 200 years of history, about 50 instruments are identified for the AWAM Traveling Museum that offers demonstration workshops at national conventions and festivals. The museum also showcases special collections of Charles Magnante, Pietro Deiro, Alain Papineau, Sylvia Prior, Hugo Herrmann, Dr. Willard A. Palmer, Faithe Deffner, Titano Accordions and the American Accordionists' Association. Related cultural and historic documents, recordings and books are preserved in the Accordion Resource Center Libraries. Its two rooms include periodicals, music-studies texts, accordion patents, accordion histories, world history, manufacturing sources, general references, arts and technology texts. Published and manuscript accordion music is estimated at a million pieces, teaching and method-book series, and composer's opuses.