Two days after our first concert at The Musical Instrument Museum we took the better part of a Sunday afternoon to explore the museum itself. For $15 each we were soon outfitted with a headset, encouraged to take photos (without flash, of course), and to enjoy our visit. Your visit starts in a special exhibit before riding the escalator to the second floor where the grand self-guided tour begins. On our right, an entryway takes us to the musical heritage of Africa and the Middle East. It is up here that the headset becomes indispensable. As one moves toward the displays of regional instruments and video screens playing films of local musicians, the headset picks up the sounds. This is obviously going to take some time.

Next up Asia, across the hall Europe, next door to that, the Americas. Not all of the displays are finished, some are yet to begin. There is obviously some video still being prepared. The museum is a work in progress. A staff member tells us that the displays will change from time to time as they are in possession of more instruments than can be displayed. We try to go slow and look at each region, each country, each instrument, but it is soon apparent that we will not be able to take this all in over the course of one visit. The openness of the displays is amazing, nothing is behind glass; we are offered the chance to closely inspect what in some instances are quite well-worn and old musical instruments. Stopping at the Burmese display to learn about the instruments whose music has become familiar to us is fascinating. The size of the Gamelan instruments from Indonesia is unbelievable; we look forward to the return visit when the displays from India are more complete.

The videos help round out and explain musically what we are seeing. In some instances, clothing or tools are featured to lend atmosphere and a better sense of the context in which this instrument is used or how it came about. I especially enjoyed the exotic nature of the many instruments that are foreign to my eyes although not always a stranger to my ears.

The Musical Instrument Museum features a cafe with a nice selection of world-inspired dishes as you rest your feet between exhibit halls. Also on the ground floor is a hands-on try it, bang it, pluck it, yourself room where Caroline picked up this Burmese harp to sample what sounds emanated from its workings. I waited patiently for the kids to finish with the giant gong so I could have a whack and with a tap moved my ear close to enjoy the resonating sound. The MIM is open seven days a week and from what we understood, the displays should be complete within the next couple of months. Highly recommended.