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Musical Treasures at the Smithsonian

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
  • Afghan vest worn by Jimi Hendrix
  • Prince's Yellow Cloud Electric Guitar
  • Ensemble associated with Marian Anderson's 1939 Lincoln Memorial concert
  • King B-Flat Trumpet, used by Dizzy Gillespie
  • Musical Instrument Similar To Violin
  • Timbales, used by Tito Puente
  • Cuban Rumba Dress
  • Patsy Cline's Costume
  • E-mu SP-12 Drum Machine
  • Tour Jacket, worn by Willie Nelson
  • Cigar Box Guitar
  • Come Josephine in my flying machine up she goes words by Alfred Bryan ; music by Fred Fischer
  • Jacket and pants worn by MC Hammer in music video for "They Put Me in the Mix"
  • Chet Atkin’s Haile Guitar
  • Bob Dylan
  • Wurlitzer Electric Piano
  • Cupcake Katy

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