Last week’s Travel Tuesday featured a visit to the Musical Instrument Museum and I promised to feature more about the performers who play those instruments that entertain us so. You can review last week’s post here. My first indication that the museum features performers came when I walked around a corner and entered a gallery that featured a large exhibit featuring Johnny Cash and the Carter Family. The videos featured in each of the performer’s displays usually contain small snippets of several of their more popular recordings. In addition to the instruments on display, as you can see in the above photo, Johnny Cash won a grammy for at least one of the record albums on display.

Sometimes, only a single item is displayed featuring a singular performer. The John Lennon exhibit features only a single item, the piano he used to compose the song “Imagine”. The piano was completely encased in plexiglas. That’s unusual for the museum as most instruments are completely out in the open in their display cases. I wondered whether the enclosure was a necessity to keep people from being able to say they played the piano that once helped create a John Lennon masterpiece.

One of the largest displays belongs to the popular performer, Taylor Swift. Her display is only eclipsed in size by Elvis Presley’s display. No doubt the size of her exhibit is a testament to her popularity. The museum features music of all genres. Indeed complete sections feature artists and their instruments that are known for their ties to a specific genre. Artists and instruments from all over the world are featured. Allow a full day to visit the museum. You’ll be glad you did.

The gallery of images below features but a small number of performers and their memorabilia. Click on an image to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery.

John Steiner

Tripadvisor’s unlikely number 1 attraction in Phoenix is dedicated to the history and culture of musical instruments. Indeed, I love music and spend hours daily listening to a variety of genres via satellite radio or Internet streaming. Decades ago, I even learned to play keyboard instruments, but have since preferred to listen to musicians with real talent.

My wife, Lynn  and I were looking for something to share with guests who came to visit and in our discussion, the Musical Instrument Museum became the focus of discussion. Our plan to show up a bit after they open, have lunch in their restaurant and leave when we get tired of looking at instruments. Truth is, I expected that to be shortly after lunch. How wrong I was.

At 4:15 PM, we still had many exhibit rooms to visit and we realized we wouldn’t see everything before they closed at 5 PM, and we are now determined to go back to finish our visit. The opening image features the craftsmanship of a true artist who created the stringed instrument. The detail and workmanship of many of the instruments on display is amazing.

Not all the instruments are only meant for viewing. In the image above, three young men explore the sounds of a large drum. In the gallery of images included in this post are other captures of visitors trying out those “hands on” instruments. Young and old alike can be found exploring how to make music with the playable instruments.

Behind a large window, visitors can see a sophisticated laboratory dedicated to the preservation and restoration of musical instruments. In that room, lab-coated technicians use their special skills to bring antique and ancient instruments back from oblivion.

Music isn’t about viewing instruments, it’s about hearing them. The museum has a powerful tool to help visitors hear the sounds of the instruments they are viewing. All visitors are given a small receiver with a headset. The receiver has a proximity detector on it. The display boards that have a sound icon on them invite people to approach the nearby video monitor. Once the receiver is in range, it picks up the audio that matches the nearest video display. The receivers are amazingly sensitive and work very well. Step only a few feet from a monitor and the sound stops.

A large area is devoted to automated music machines from player pianos to large machines featuring a complete band as in the 23-foot long (7 m) Apollonia Jazz Dance Organ. Tiny music boxes and even a “piano-roll” player trumpet are featured in the image gallery below.

One surprising instrument on display is the drum in the photo above. One of 2008 percussives featured in the 2008 Olympics opening ceremony in China is identified by its position number painted on the front. Other interesting displays are by instrument manufacturers that feature step-by-step procedures in the construction of their products.

The performers who make music are featured in several areas of the museum, and as you might expect, the largest display in area features the undisputed king of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. The audio monitors in this area play snippets of the artist performing their most popular music. There are so many performers featured in the museum, I’ve dedicated an entire blog post to some of the musician displays. Most items on display are provided by either the artist or the artist’s estate. Some displays are temporary, others permanent. More on performers featured at the museum next week.

The gallery of images below features only a small number of the instruments on display. Click on an image to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery. Expect to spend an entire day there, and if you’re really into music, expect to spend multiple days immersed in the sights and sounds of our musical heritage.