The museum features mechanical figures which perform shows.
It is a collaboration between sculptor-mechanic Eduard Bersudsky, theatre director Tatyana Jakovskaya, and light and sound designer Sergey Jakovsky.
The word "sharmanka" (шарманка) is Russian for hurdy-gurdy or barrel-organ.
Sharmanka was founded in St Petersburg in 1989 and based in Glasgow since 1996.
Commissions include The Millennium Clock for Royal Museum (in cooperation with Tim Stead and others) in Edinburgh, "The Flight" for Bloomfield Science Museum, Jerusalem, "St.Mungo-at-the-Tron" in Glasgow, "World of Artist" for Storm P. Museum, Copenhagen etc.