Musical Instrument Museum

"This expansive museum in the desert right off of the North Phoenix highway is a paean to world music. Inside the Musical Instrument Museum's tall sandstone walls, 8,000-plus instruments from some 200 countries await, all packed into galleries forking from a central corridor. As you stroll through wearing headphones, you hear the sounds of the instruments you pass. Videos play, too, showing how people play instruments in their countries of origin. Other highlights: The museum has rooms for kids, displays instruments actually played by artists like Johnny Cash, and hosts concerts." - Chris Malloy

"What is this place all about?   This expansive museum in the desert off of the North Phoenix highway is a paean to world music. Inside its tall sandstone walls, 8,000-plus instruments from some 200 countries await, all packed into galleries forking from a central corridor. As you stroll through wearing headphones, you hear the sounds of the instruments you pass. Videos play, too, showing how people play instruments in their countries of origin. MIM has rooms for kids, displays instruments actually played by artists like Johnny Cash, and hosts concerts.  What will we see here?   The real question is what will we hear? The answer: The erhu, the kora, and a whole family of bagpipes for starters. You’re bound to discover new instruments. One room, The Encore Gallery, invites guests to play instruments like a Peruvian harp and the giant drums of the Pascua Yaqui Nation (Southwestern Arizona).  What did you make of the crowd?   MIM is so spacious that the crowd isn’t an issue.  What if we get hungry?   Stop by Cafe Allegro, where museum-goers fill cafeteria-style trays of global foods that rotate seasonally.  How much time will we need?   Considering the geographical galleries alone demand at least an hour, you likely need 2-3 hours. Add 20 minutes each way for the drive from downtown to North Phoenix." - Chris Malloy

"The only global musical instrument museum in the world, the MIM displays about 68,000 instruments and related artifacts. Paying tribute to these instruments, even the building evokes their shape. A giant double bass greets visitors in the Orientation Gallery, among other instruments. From there, guests head upstairs to the Geographic Galleries where the displayed instruments, related costumes, recordings, and videos take them on a trip around the world. A highlight of any visit, the Hands-On Gallery offers them the chance to play the instruments. Besides the galleries, the museum hosts world-class artists and concerts in its theater." - MATADOR_NETWORK

"Bang Some Gongs at MIM Don a headset, approach an exhibit, and wirelessly listen to African thumb piano or Mongolian throat singing at the vast Musical Instrument Museum. Besides browsing some 15,000 artifacts that represent different musical genres, visitors can catch a concert, take a drumming class, or recharge at the café, which serves global fare made from local products."

"Bang Some Gongs at MIM Don a headset, approach an exhibit, and wirelessly listen to African thumb piano or Mongolian throat singing at the vast Musical Instrument Museum. Besides browsing some 15,000 artifacts that represent different musical genres, visitors can catch a concert, take a drumming class, or recharge at the café, which serves global fare made from local products."