Over the past 25 years, the Museum has amassed hundreds of unique artifacts, each helping to share the story of music and sound products. Many of the artifacts you see in our galleries arrive as generous gifts from donors, while others are made available to us through short-term loans.

We’re always seeking instruments and items that broaden and deepen this rich history. In the past year alone, we welcomed nearly 70 new objects into our collection as either loans or donations. If you’re curious about how this process works, it’s actually quite simple. If you have an instrument you would like to loan or donate, simply fill out the artifact donation form on our website (please include photos!) Artifact Donations. From there, our team evaluates each item to determine whether it aligns with the scope of our collection.

Once an object is accepted, we begin a detailed process of conducting research, preparing the piece for installation, updating our digital records, and training our staff and volunteers so they are ready to present the new addition to the public. It’s a thorough journey, and an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable one.

As we celebrate our 25th year, we want to spotlight just a few of these many contributions and express our heartfelt gratitude to the donors and lenders who make our work possible.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for 25 Years in 25 Days, a special series highlighting one acquired artifact from each year and sharing a quick fact about it.