Each of us has his own memories associated with various carousels – the one near the house, circus carousels or seen for the first time in recreation park. These images or memories are always pleasant; they are associated with holidays or simply with a joyful day from childhood. Colourful and bright, exciting and entertaining, amazing and joyful, carousel complexes delight people of all ages. They give a feeling of lightness and happiness and, perhaps, help to realise the cycle of life – after all, the symbolism of the circle is eternity.

In the 16^th century, carousels (the word was masculine gender at the time) were festivals that replaced knightly tournaments. Carousels often included equestrian performances. The festivals were notable for the splendour of costumes worn by both participants and spectators, and attracted a great deal of attention. The riders competed in agility and strength without coming into contact with each other. The analogue of the carousel we know today appeared in France in the 17^th century. It was a platform to which wooden figures of horses were attached. To the point, the popular attraction where seats are attached to chains and then lifted into the air is one of the types of carousels that evolved over time.

Initially, the figures were suspended, and the carousel itself was set in motion manually or using horses or donkeys. By the middle of the 19^th century, a rotating carousel platform had been developed, and the figures began to be installed on it. Around the same time, the rotating mechanism was automated, and carousels with steam engines and electric motors appeared. A mechanism was created that allowed the figures not only to stand on the rotating platform, but also to move up and down.

The birthday of the real carousel (with a hipped roof, music, mirrors and colourful horses) is considered to be July 25, 1871. It was on this day that American entrepreneur William Schneider received his patent. It was a luxurious two-storey carousel – a true work of art: a herd of colourful horses, windproof cabins and special seats for parents. The horses spun around quite slowly, at about the same speed as a person walking in a park. To keep visitors entertained, Schneider came up with the idea of playing music – circus organ. There were other surprises too: artificial clouds moved above the heads of the audience, like in a theatre, magical pictures replaced one another, mechanical dolls moved in the very the carousel center, sweets and souvenirs were sold to passengers from the ground, and in the evenings, Bengal lights sparkled on the tent in the evenings.

It is noteworthy, that direction of carousels’ rotation mainly depends on the traffic rules in a particular country. For example, in Japan or England, traffic is left-handed, and carousels rotate clockwise; in countries where traffic is right-handed, attractions move counter clockwise. A carousel is a chapiteau circus where you are both a spectator and a rider; it is a path to childhood that never ends as long as the music plays and tickets, doughnuts, cotton candy and roasted chestnuts are sold.

Moreover, another type of carousel, the Ferris wheel or observation wheel, was created in 1893. Its inventor was George Washington Ferris. It was decided to build a wheel that would outshine the Eiffel Tower, created in 1889, in honour of the World's Fair in Paris. The attraction created by Ferris amazed not only ordinary spectators but also engineering experts: the wheel weighed 2,000 tonnes and had a diameter of 75 metres.

Unfortunately, during the Great Depression, carousel production declined, and many existing carousels were sold off piece by piece for pennies. Of the nearly five thousand wooden carousels, only about one hundred and fifty have survived.

The carousel was rather common plot in the works of ancient and modern craftsmen and artisans. The images of carousels adorn the walls of many domiciles, offices and banks around the world. In the 19^th century, the image of the beloved attraction was implemented in mechanic compositions, amusing automata, coin-operated machines, music boxes, etc. Nowadays, having put a coin in the slot, one could enjoy the merry holiday with musical accompaniment.

The museum Collection exposition features items decorated by carousels or having the form of carousel as well/ They are amusing automata, coin-operated machines, musical boxes and table clocks with musical movement  that were created in the late 19^th – 20^th centuries.

"Photo album ‘Carousels in the museum Collection exposition” is posted in our Photo gallery.