We had heard lots of good things about the MIM or Musical Instrument Museum and decided to go and visit on Thursday. Jack was a reluctant visitor but we were both blown away by this wonderful place. It is a result of the philanthropy of the CEO of Target Stores. He had seen a museum in Europe several years ago but found it's presentation very Eurocentric, so he wanted to set up a museum that would represent all the instruments of the world.
Truly this is the case - music stirs our hearts and recreates memories and links us to others and around the world.
We are given headphones and an electronic box to wear. There are proximity speakers that play different music of the instruments and genres represented in each display. You hear it only when you stand nearby. As you move to the next one, the music transitions to the new display. If you take off your headset, it is totally quiet, but all around you one can see people standing in front of displays, moving and rocking to music and nudging each other to say "listen to this!!". It was marvelous.
You can make music with strings and an oil can - drums made from skins stretched over a gourd, shakers made from loose seeds in a gourd.
A Dutch street organ played by turning a wheel to move the hole punched paper through the wires that will make the pipes play the music.
The piano that John Lennon used to compose "Imagine".
Music from Ireland.
They even have a room with lots of instruments you can hit and gong and bong and rattle to make your own music - both children and adults.
This is an absolutely wonderful museum - memories of music we have heard throughout our life, bringing back great memories as well as new things we learned about different music and traditions from around the world. If you ever get to Phoenix, this is a must-see!
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