Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio is located in the Martello Tower overlooking the harbour in Howth, Co. Dublin. The museum is located in the Martello tower just off Abbey Street.  Pat Herbert is the curator, and his collection of old radios, music boxes, gramophones and other related items are on exhibit. Pat has been collecting for forty years and takes great pride and pleasure in showing visitors around this gem of a museum.

Opening hours are 11 until 4 daily, however the museum is only open at weekends from November until the end of March. The DART suburban railway, and number 31 or 31B busses from Dublin City serve Howth. The entrance to the museum is up a steep pathway opposite the Abbey Tavern in Abbey Street.

The Martello watchtower was completed in 1805 when a Napoleonic invasion of Ireland seemed imminent. The first working submarine telegraph from Great Britain came ashore on the beach just below the tower in 1854. The tower then became a cable station.

In 1903, the famous American wireless pioneer Lee de Forrest used the tower to demonstrate his wireless  telegraphy system to engineers of the British Post Office. Two years later the Marconi Company  conducted ship to shore wireless experiments with the HMS Monarch as she sailed to various locations in the Irish Sea. from the tower on most Sundays using mainly wireless telegraphy as befits such a historic location.

The Museum will be of interest to  both young and not so young who have even the slightest interest in looking at old vintage radio and TV equipment, including a large selection of Grammaphones.  The guided tour is very informative and guests are also invited to look around themselves and ask questions.  The kettle is always on the boil, so why not stop by some Sunday and visit this hidden gem in the heart of Howth, you wont be disappointed.

If you happen to have any unusual vintage equipment that you would like to donate to the museum please do contact us with your details.

To contact the museum or for further information, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or telephone the curator at 086-8154189.

Entry to the Museum is just €5.  All proceeds go towards the RNLI.  Thank you.

For more information on the museum please click here