Group Tours

Open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.- 3:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays, Mondays and state holidays. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Museum is located at the corner of Bank and New Streets in downtown Dover, in the same block as The Delaware Archaeology Museum and Museum of Small Town Life (Meeting House Galleries).

The Johnson Victrola Museum features an extensive collection of Victor Talking Machines (early record players) and memorabilia. The Victor Talking Machine Company was founded in 1901. Company founder and inventer Eldridge Reeves Johnson, a native Delawarean, was a competitor of Thomas Edison. Museum exhibits include a 1920’s Victrola dealer’s store with a collection of talking machines, cabinet Victrolas, and early records. Recordings are regularly played on modern and antique equipment, and posters and memorabilia showcase Victor’s popular recording artists. Also featured is an original painting of ‘Nipper,’ the dog that became the trademark for RCA, known as “His Master’s Voice.” 

Group Tours
Amenities: Small museum store, wheelchair accessible. 
Group Tour Rates: Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
Tour Tips: Allow 30 minutes to 1 hour for a guided tour or program. Ask to hear the music. One motorcoach maximum per tour. Motorcoach parking available. Reservations required a minimum of two weeks in advance. 

Group tour topics include “The Wonderful Talking Machine” (an overview of the Victor company), and “The Golden Age of Music” (listen and discuss period recordings and lyrics). Contact Delaware State Museums for a complete listing of Group Tour Programs.