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Musical Treasures at the Smithsonian

Smithsonian Music

From Louis Armstrong's trumpet to Grandmaster Flash's turntable and from a Central African harp to an Apache violin, these objects represent just a sampling of how music is collected, curated and studied at the Smithsonian. Explore these photographs, objects, and artifacts that help explain how music infuses our everyday life, brightening it with its sounds and beats.


Steinway & Sons Grand Piano

Hammond B-3 organ owned by James Brown

Van Halen Frankenstein Electric Guitar

Afghan vest worn by Jimi Hendrix

Harp

Gold plated disc with etched designs on the surface. At top left is a circle depicting the record. The dashes along the outer edge, in binary code, show the proper rotational speed for playing the record.

Record, Cover, Voyager (Duplicate)

Bell

The Mothership

Hunting horn

Red Cadillac Eldorado owned by Chuck Berry

Prince's Yellow Cloud Electric Guitar

Tour Jacket, worn by Willie Nelson

Stradivarius Violin: "The Greffuhle"

Technics Turntable, used by Grandmaster Flash

Ensemble associated with Marian Anderson's 1939 Lincoln Memorial concert

Drum of Lingshan type

Trumpet owned by Louis Armstrong

George Gershwin Self-Portrait

Selmer Tenor Saxophone, used by John Coltrane

Boombox, used by Fab 5 Freddy

Hommage à Bessie Smith

Timbales, used by Tito Puente

Accordion

Enrico Caruso Self-Portrait

Sarangi (Musical Instrument)

Cuban Rumba Dress

King B-Flat Trumpet, used by Dizzy Gillespie

Musical Instrument Similar To Violin

Lavender heeled boots worn by Prince

Ed Sullivan and the Beatles

Transparent Rhythms II

Chet Atkin’s Haile Guitar

Norwegian post horn

Music Stand

"Boogie Down" at the White House, Big D & Mingering


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