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Museum of Mechanical Music – Les Gets

The automata & antique toys room

Mechanical magic and childhood memories

Step into a magical world where precision mechanics,, exceptional craftsmanship, and childhood imagination came together.
La The Automata & Antique Toys Room of the Mechanical Music Museum presents a rare and moving collection from the famous Roger & Gallet Christmas window displays..

A Parisian heritage that became a worldwide attraction

During the 1950s, the renowned perfumer Roger & Gallettransformed the windows of its Faubourg Saint-Honoré store in Paris into a true "Shop of Happiness" each holiday season..
Combining 6 and 9 automata automata were installed to delight passers-by.

After Paris, these animated scenes toured internationally and were exhibited in major capitals around the world. Today, most of these unique pieces have found a home in the heart of Les Gets.

Animated scenes filled with humour, detail, and poetry

Each automaton is a work of mechanical art, combining:

  • Romance,through tender or nostalgic scenes
  • Humour,in playful and mischievous animations
  • Technical ingenuity,with complex systems synchronizing movements
  • Aesthetic,down to the smallest decorative details

 

Some display cases are even accompanied by sound,adding an auditory dimension to the visual magic.

A living link to childhood and the tradition of animated toys

These mechanical automata embody an era when technological innovation served imagination and wonder. True miniature masterpieces, they remind us of the enchanting power of historic objects and the role of mechanical music in popular arts.

Rediscover your childhood spirit in our toy collection, featuring pieces dating from the mid-19e century to the present day.