Carousel Opens on the Mall On April 12, 1967, a classic wood <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/296">merry-go-round</a> with 33 animals and 2 chariots moved to the National Mall near the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/56">Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building</a>. Rides cost 25 cents apiece. In 1981 museum officials replaced the worn-out merry-go-round with the present, larger carousel, a 1947 vintage model with 60 horses. Music for the first merry-go-round came from a Wurlitzer band organ with wooden pipes and bellows. Today the carousel’s music wafts from a CD player. Smithsonian Institution Archives. <a href="http://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_sic_8247?back=%2Fcollections%2Fsearch%3Fquery%3Dcarousel%26page%3D1%26perpage%3D10%26sort%3Drelevancy%26view%3Dlist">View original</a>. 04/12/1967 <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1950-1979">1950-1979</a>