Museum of Making Music
A History of Musical Milestones in the U.S.
by Cherie Yurco
Located in Carlsbad, California, the Museum of Making Music celebrates the rich history of musical instruments and music making in America from the 1890s to today. Housed at the headquarters of its sponsor, music products association NAMM, it tells the story of hard work, challenges, inspirations, and innovations in the music industry. The museum also explains the complex relationships of music, culture, and industry.
The museum has more than 450 instruments on display and is organized chronologically, with each gallery focusing on 20 years of history, including popular music of the era and innovations in instruments that occurred during that period. Exhibits also look at marketing and retail practices during
the periods, with nostalgic recreations
of music stores.
Audio and video clips let visitors experience different genres of music and sounds from various instruments. They can also put on headphones and try more than a dozen musical instruments, from Lowrey organs to Roland V-Drums and Daisy guitars, at hands-on displays. A special exhibit, ON! The Beginnings of the Electric Sound Generation, will be on display through March 2010. It focuses on the period between 1900 and 1965 when innovators such as Thaddeus Cahill, Leon Theremin, Lloyd Loar, Adolph Rickenbacker, George Beauchamp, Laurens Hammond, Alvino Rey, Leo Fender, Les Paul, and Paul Bigsby began using electrical energy to produce sounds and tones in a variety of musical instruments.
The museum, in collaboration with The Bob Moog Foundation, is also hosting a Bob Moog retrospective exhibition from September 2009 through March 2010. Aside from the exhibits, the museum is the site of numerous musical events, from group music lessons and wellness classes to musical presentations and concerts. Truly a destination for all ages, the museum hosts summer music camps for children, as well as a New Horizons band and orchestra for seniors. For more information visit www.MuseumofMakingMusic.org.
The Museum of Making Music is located 30 miles north of San Diego and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $7 and admission is $5 for seniors, students (aged six to 18), and active military. Admission for children under age six is free.
