If you’re a fan of music and its history, you’ll want to get moving too, jumping the U8 from Alexanderplatz to Kottbusser Tor. It’s a short train ride that will take you to the Synthesizer Museum Berlin, situated between Adalbertstraße and Skalitzer Straße in Kreuzberg.

It’s no surprise that a museum like this exists in Germany’s capital. The country was one of the epicentres that helped bring electronic music to the masses. Synthesisers and sequencers became part of different German bands’ rigs, artists such as Can, Tangerine Dream, and Kraftwerk. The emergence of techno music in West Berlin during the late 80s, and its role in bringing people together in a reunified Germany, also demonstrated the power this music had.

Film composer, music producer and founder of the museum, Michael Soltau, is famous for his work on television series Notruf Hafenkante. He has also worked with artists Sarah Brightman, José Carreras, The Ten Tenors and Gregorian. He also contributed to the ‘classical crossover’ that emerged in the late 90s, which mixed the sounds of classical and popular music together.

Michael took the time to answer some questions I had for him. I wanted to learn about the range of equipment the museum had on display, what visitors could expect, and the importance of these instruments in the age of AI.

Liam Donohoe: What was the inspiration behind opening a synthesiser museum in Berlin?

Michael Soltau: Back in 2022 I opened the Synthesizer Studio Berlin. It’s a professional recording studio with an expansive range of high-end synthesizers, from vintage to new. Our customers are mainly professional producers and artists. Stephan Bobinger is running the place and he is also developing signature software instruments as well as hosting masterclasses.

A few years later I realized we were missing out on a big group of people who are not professionals, but electronic and pop music lovers nonetheless. That was the incentive to open a second location, the Synthesizer Museum Berlin.

Liam: The range of synthesizers you have on display is impressive, where did the collection come from?

Michael: Playing and producing with synthesizers has been my passion and my occupation since the mid-80s. As a result, the collection has been growing ever since.

Having worked as a film composer for many years, I realized that all the fine instruments would never be in use on a daily basis. So, rather than storing them under the staircase, I thought they would serve a better purpose at a synthesizer museum of sorts.

Liam: Are visitors allowed to play them?

Michael: Yes, visitors are allowed and encouraged to play our synthesizers. And you can also buy a USB stick and record yourself.

Liam: Which synthesizers prove to be popular with visitors?

Michael: Roland Juno-60, because it’s one of the easiest to understand. A beginner’s synth with a superb sound! We connected it to the most famous drum machine ever, the Roland TR-808. You can almost make a little track with those two. Furthermore it’s the Minimoog, of course, and the ARP 2600 (half modular, patchable synth) for the more experienced visitors.

Liam: In the age of AI generated music, what do you want visitors to take away from their experiences at the museum?

Michael: When AI emerged, and software synthesizers before that, it made the original hardware even more eminent. Software can never beat the experience of the real musical instrument, one that you can play instantly, that has a feel and a character to it.

If you want to learn more about the Synthesizer Museum Berlin you can visit their official site. There you can get more information including their opening hours, current events and subscribe to their newsletter. You can also follow them on Instagram @synthmuseumberlin

Liam Donohoe is a reporter from the UK, and holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing. He writes about cultural figures and fascinating places around the world.

A 7-minute drive from the city centre, you might find what you are looking for. On Mason Street in Edge Hill, the charity organisation the Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels, operate tours on Wednesdays and Sundays to explore these tunnels.

Built in the early 1800s, they stretch across 4 floors, and were excavated once again in the 1990s to discover their original structures. The tour gives you a great opportunity to learn about their history, businessman Joseph Williamson himself, and how he used his resources to help build them. You’ll also get first hand accounts of the team’s work: hearing about the tools they used to excavate the site and what they discovered whilst removing tonnes of spoil.

Be prepared to get kitted with a high-vis jacket and hard hat (I told you it would be a different experience), so you’re kept safe at all times. The tour begins by walking past the front entrance of Williamson’s former residence, a front façade propped up by exposed beams. The real adventure though, begins on Paddington Village, where you walk into a gated-off area to descend into the tunnels.

If you are worried about how dark the tunnels will get, don’t worry, they are well-lit and maintained. However, on Level 3, be prepared to walk on an uneven surface and as you walk down to the quarry on Level 4, you’ll use a metal staircase to get there. Level 4 is the last floor you can visit and is 60ft below street level. As we are told on our tour, along with the photo to prove it, the quarry was once flooded, requiring the team to use a dinghy to wade through the water.

Most of what you’ll find fascinating is on Level 2, where there are items they discovered on display. You’ll be amazed how well these items are preserved, thanks to the spoil covering them for a long period of time. There are glass bottles with marble stoppers, jars, sinks, and fine china to take photos of.

Their team is staffed with enthusiastic and knowledgeable people. They’re more than happy to answer any questions you have as they weave history about the local area into the tour. On the day we came, we found ourselves with the delightful Mandy, who was happy to hold her team’s finds whilst our group snapped them with our cameras.

Expect to be on this tour for around 90 minutes and leave with a new perspective, knowing you experienced a unique piece of Liverpool’s history.

You can learn about the Friends of Williamson’s Tunnels opening times, tour days, as well as how you can make a donation to support their work, by visiting their official website. If you’re on an Instagram, you can follow them @williamsontunnels_fowt.

Liam Donohoe is a reporter from the UK, and holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing. He writes about cultural figures and fascinating places around the world.