What the bell? | National Bell Festival

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Explore the weird, the wonderful, and the whimsical at BellFest – from exclusive events and happenings, to behind-the-scenes access at some of the most fascinating historical sites in Washington, D.C.

Paul Matisse's Tubular Bell for the XXVIII Olympiad

In a nation renowned for millennia-spanning history and world-shaping cultural heritage, the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens marked something of a homecoming for the…

Q&A with Hideharu Motoi, 14th-Generation Bell Maker

It isn’t every day that you have the opportunity to learn from someone whose expertise is backed by roughly 400 years of experience, but the business of bells is…

To Unwarp or Ring Warped? That Is the Question

At the National Bell Festival, we pride ourselves on being a go-to resource for all things bell, and we’re delighted to field questions related to campanology from…

What Happened When a Woman Touched the Bell of Mii-dera?

The legend begins centuries ago at the foot of Mount Hiei, half a day’s eastward walk from Imperial Kyoto, the seat of the Emperor. In the tranquil, idyllic woods…

When the Japanese Bell at the U.S. Naval Academy May Be Rung

The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland – known as the Yard since the Revolutionary War (originating from ‘dockyard’) – is steeped in tradition and brimming…

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