I found another favorite museum!
Recently my husband and I went to Phoenix. He went to a meeting, while I visited with two of my wonderful college friends for a mini reunion. In this blog I will discuss one of the three sites that we decided to visit.
Our first stop on our whirlwind tour of Phoenix was the Musical Instrument Museum. I do not even know where to begin to describe this delight of the senses.
Each display is a combination of color and sound, showing the clothes and the instruments of each area pictured. The extremely wonderful added bonus at most displays is a short video at showing how the instruments are played and their sound, also showing how the clothing is worn for ceremonies, rites, parades and events.
The museum is divided into geographic areas. We decided to start with the music of Latin America and the Caribbean. We spend two hours walking through this one section of the museum. It is overwhelming and informative. Your headphones pick up the music of each display as you walk closer. It draws you in and then the instruments catch your eye and sometimes colorful clothes catch your eye.
Display after display calls out to you. At times you do not know where to look next, so you go to the music that is dancing in your ears.
I was intrigued by the display of recycled instruments from Paraguay. These are not instruments someone has passed down, rather they are musical instruments made from trash and scrap metal. Honestly, the Recycled Orchestra of Centeura drew me in. I listened to the video several times. This children’s orchestra in Asuncion, Paraguay, is amazing. All of their instruments are built from trash in a landfill! I was so intrigued, I looked it up online. The link to the Wikipedia article is below.
I have not been so taken by children’s music since I saw the children’s school for steel drums in St. Maarten. (See blog below.)
When we had exhausted ourselves viewing all of Latin America, we decided we had to have lunch in Café Allegro before we tackled another exhibit hall. We still had Europe, United States and Canada, Oceania, Africa, Middle East, four areas of Asia and more. There was so much to see, we finally realized we were not going to see it all.
On our way to lunch, we heard piano music. Below was a grand piano with people in line to play. It was fun to listen to the different styles of music people chose. Besides playing the piano, visitors can also go to the Experience Gallery where they can try all sorts of instruments.
After lunch we went to Africa and then we went to Europe and finally to North America. We saw instruments made from every object possible: tree trunks, gourds, pottery, ceramics, sticks, string, tin cans, steel drums, boxes. Imagination and talent can turn anything into music.
In my attempt to be truly honest, I will tell you that in the other exhibit halls we visited, we were unable to look at every display. It is sensory overload. I highly recommend just choosing one hall to go through and not to try to see it all. Instead plan to go back another time if you can. We never made it to any of the Asian exhibits or downstairs to the Mechanical Music Gallery or Experience Gallery or Encore Gallery.
As I looked through the Museum, one thing was obvious, no matter where people lived, or what materials they had, or what their circumstances were, everyone wants to make music. There are so many guitar-like instruments, and harp-like instruments, and wind style instruments. All were representative of the continent and the culture of the people who use them.
We did not have the opportunity to go to a concert there. But if I lived in Phoenix, I know its 300-seat theatre would be a favorite spot.
Even the bathrooms provide a musical interlude offering different songs to sing as you wash your hands!!!
On my way out, I purchased one of the magnets that reflects the Museum’s theme, “Music is the Language of the Soul.” As we danced and sang and boogied our way through this museum, I can attest that this is a museum that enlightens bringing magic and joy to the soul through the language of music.
zicharonot 
Sounds like a really cool museum!
I definitely recommend it!