Musical Journeys Around the World at MIM Phoenix

MIM — Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix

If you live in or will be visiting the Phoenix Metro area, make sure to visit the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). It’s a thoroughly enlightening musical, cultural, and geographical experience and a must-see attraction to include on any itinerary.

Exterior shot of MIM -- Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona

MIM — Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix

We spent about three hours at the museum and felt we were able to get a great introduction to the wide-ranging exhibits, but could well have spent several hours. I hope this post and the selected photos will give you an idea of the wide range of displays at the museum.

Showcasing the big, wonderful world of music and culture

Touring MIM — Indonesia exhibit

Opened in 2010, MIM allows visitors to take a virtual journey around the world with its extensive exhibits of musical instruments and cultural perspectives. As you move around the galleries, wireless headphones tune in automatically to the audio of videos of the instruments being played in cultural context at performances, rituals, and festivals of cultures around the world.

The museum’s collection includes over 13,600 instruments and artifacts, both ancient and contemporary, from more than 200 countries and territories. About 6,800 are on exhibit at any given time. The oldest instrument is a paigu goblet drum from China that is said to have been made between 5000 and 4000 BCE.

Geographic Galleries

It was in these global geographic galleries that we spent the most time. From one exhibit to the other, it was like taking an immersive journey to other worlds.  The instruments are fascinating artifacts to view, and the accompanying large-scale photographs, original costumes, related art, and cultural performance videos really make the experience. I thought it was interesting to find the commonalities of some instruments across cultures as well as those that that are unique to a people or place in composition, sound, and significance.

Asia and Oceania — East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Central Asia and the Caucasus

Inside the Asia Gallery at MIM (Musical Instrument Musuem) in Phoenix, Arizona

Inside the Asia Gallery

Philippines exhibit

The pat waing, traditional Burmese circle of drums at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

The pat waing, a traditional Burmese circle of drums

Chinese lion dance costume and instruments at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Chinese lion dance costume and instruments

Africa and Middle East

Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa exhibits in the Africa Gallery at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa exhibits

Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali exhibits in Africa Gallery at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Mali exhibits

Jordan exhibit

Arabian Peninsula exhibit at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Arabian Peninsula exhibit

Latin America — South America, Central America and Mexico, and the Caribbean

Instruments of the Rarámuri people of Mexico at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Instruments of the Rarámuri people of Mexico

Ecuador exhibit

Haiti exhibit at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix,, Arizona

Haiti exhibit

Europe

Scandinavian lur, a bronze horn instrument at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

A Scandinavian lur, a bronze horn instrument

Lithuania exhibit

Cimbalom (struck zither) fro at MIM (Museum of Musical Instruments) in Phoenix, Arizonam Budapest, Hungary

Cimbalom (struck zither) from Budapest, Hungary

Accordion exhibit in the Europe Gallery at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

European accordion exhibit

United States and Canada

Memphis exhibit

Steinway piano special exhibit

Women in Jazz exhibit in United States and Canada Gallery at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Women in Jazz exhibit

Phoenix-born Alice Cooper exhibit -- United States and Canada Gallery at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Alice Cooper exhibit (the band was formed in Phoenix)

Native American exhibit in United States and Canada Gallery at MIM (museum of MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Native American exhibit

 

Artist Gallery

Inside the Artist Gallery you have a chance to get up close to their signature instruments and other artifacts of famous musical artists have been donated or on loan for the collections. The descriptive plaques and videos are informative and entertaining. Some of the performers you’ll recognize are Tito Puente, Maroon 5, Elvis Presley, Glen Campbell, Leonard Bernstein, Pablo Casals, Ravi Shankar, Black Eyed Peas, Buddy Rich, and Carlos Santana.

Tito Puente exhibit

Elvis Presley exhibit at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Elvis Presley exhibit

Carlos Santana exhibit at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Carlos Santana exhibit

Don’t miss the Clara Rockmore exhibit with a theremin, a rather strange form of touchless instrument played by the movement of hands around the device. It was created in the early 1900s as a result of sensor research by the Soviets. Clara is the most famous of those who have played the theremin musicians.

Clara Rockmore playing the theremin, an exhibit at MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) in Phoenix, Arizona

Clara Rockmore playing the theremin

Mechanical Music Gallery

The Mechanical Music Gallery has a fun collection of player pianos and other instruments that effectively play themselves as they are mechanically programmed on pinned cylinders or music rolls. We were lucky to be there in time for a demonstration of gallery’s highlight, Apollonia, a large dance organ, the kind that was commonly found in musical halls in Belgium and the Netherlands in the late 19th century to the 1960s. Apollonia has organ pipes, drums, accordions, saxophones, and a xylophone that appear to operate as if a musician was playing them.

Apollonia

And there’s more!

Given your time and interests, these are other places to consider seeing at MIM. They are on my list for future visits.

  • The Target Gallery has special exhibitions that require a separate ticket for admission. At the time of our visit, The Electric Guitar: Inventing an American Icon was featured in the gallery. (MIM was founded by a former Target Corporation CEO, Robert J. Ulrich.)
  • The Experience Gallery gives everyone a chance to play instruments like some of those found in the museum. There is also the Encore Gallery where children can play instruments and have fun in other activities.
  • The Collier STEM Gallery is an educational gallery with videos and displays focused on the connections between music and science and technology.
  • The Conservation Lab provides a behind-the-scenes look at how the museum maintains and restores instruments.
  • In the MIM Music Theater, there are live performances by global artists of all genres.
  • Café Allegro is open for lunch with indoor and outdoor seating. The menu (which changes daily) includes global and local dishes.

Food and drink tip: Food and beverages, including water, are not allowed anywhere in the museum besides the Café Allegro and the Family Center on the ground floor. So be sure to hydrate beforehand and take a café break.

Comfort tip: On the hot summer day we visited, we found the air conditioning to be turned up quite high. In case the same is true when you go to MIM, have a sweater ready to be comfortable. Of course, your preferences and circumstances may be different!

Timing tip: Although I usually find that two hours in any museum is about all I like to spend (either information overload or I just don’t have the time), I would suggest that MIM is worthy of several hours. Even then, you might want to come back again. If you can plan a full day, take a break at the café for lunch or snacks in between galleries. Living in nearby Scottsdale, I’m lucky that I’ll be able to return to be able to explore more and revisit favorite parts of the museum.

Membership tip: If you’re a local and plan on making return visits during the year, you may want to consider a membership. There are other membership benefits as well.

PIN THIS POST!Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix, Arizona

Have you been to MIM? Are you a music lover or a traveler who loves music and cultures around the world? MIM is for you!

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19 thoughts on “Musical Journeys Around the World at MIM Phoenix

  1. Jackie K Smith

    We’ve driven past that so many times during our timeshare stays in Scottsdale and always said we should visit. You’ve convinced me that we should make it a point to do so on a future trip!

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      I don’t know why it took me so long to visit MIM since I moved to Arizona 2-1/2 years ago. Better late than never.

  2. Kristin Henning

    This is an amazing museum, and we second your recommendation! A friend of ours, formerly in the music business, enjoys volunteering there giving tours. It’s a great resource for residents of the area (with concert hall) as we;; as for visitors from around the world. Pinning, too

    1. Catherine Sweeney Post author

      Thanks for the comment and pinning! Music industry people love this museum. In fact, I read that Tony Bennett says it is his favorite museum in the world.

  3. Cindy

    Great coverage of an amazing museum. We spent about the same amount of time there, but ran out of time before we got to most of the world galleries. As you show, MIM just offers so much!

  4. noel morata

    I never did get a chance to visit this museum and how fantastic and extensive the collection is. I love that it covers all international music and instruments and such beautiful displays, thanks for taking us on a tour of this inspiring museum.

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