Editing Wanamaker Building (section)

== Wanamaker Organ ==

The Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, installed for the building's opening in 1911, is the largest fully functioning pipe organ in the world. Originally built for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, the organ was purchased by John Wanamaker and expanded over decades to its current size of over 28,000 pipes across six manuals. Daily concerts, played by resident organists, fill the Grand Court with music that demonstrates the instrument's extraordinary range and power. The organ's location within a retail setting is unique; it was conceived as cultural amenity that elevated shopping beyond commercial transaction.<ref name="ershkowitz"/>

The organ requires continuous maintenance to keep its thousands of pipes, mechanisms, and systems functioning. A staff of technicians works constantly to preserve the instrument, which represents irreplaceable cultural heritage as well as tourist attraction. The Friends of the Wanamaker Organ, a non-profit organization, supports restoration and preservation efforts. The organ's survival depends on this ongoing commitment to an instrument that could never be replicated under current economic conditions.<ref name="gallery"/>