Well, the time has come. After nearly 30 extraordinary years with the Museum of Making Music, I will be stepping away from my role this June. I made this decision a couple of months ago when it became clear that I want and need to spend more...
Is there any better way to build community than by spending time together on an outing? Our volunteers recently had the chance to do just that with a wonderful visit to Balboa Park. We enjoyed a fascinating historical tour—an experience made...
Earlier this year we launched our visitor survey, and the results are in. We're excited to share that our visitors are having an outstanding time at the Museum of Making Music. Over 97% of respondents rated their overall experience as either...
This month, we highlight the Webster-Chicago “Electronic Memory” Model 228-1 portable wire recorder.You might be wondering why a wire recorder is featured at the Museum of Making Music. While not originally intended specifically for music, the...
Our collection is vast and full of incredible stories, but not every instrument fits neatly into the themes of our main exhibits. That’s what makes our “From the Collection” displays so special. These showcases give us the chance to bring...
April is designated National Volunteer Month, and while we celebrate our volunteers during our annual Volunteer Appreciation Brunch, we are grateful for them all year long. Volunteers play vital roles in organizations, institutions, and events...
Coming soon to the museum is a new interactive touchscreen exhibit featuring the TEC Hall of Fame, a program founded in 2004 by George Petersen to honor the audio products and innovations that have shaped the professional audio industry. The TEC...
Sometimes I like to think of a museum as a book. Not a static place filled with objects, but a story waiting to unfold as soon as someone opens its cover. A book has an introduction, characters, themes, chapters, and a sense of movement from...
We are thrilled to introduce our wonderful new conductor for the New Horizons Bands, Nicole Izzo Mlynczak. Nicole holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in clarinet performance and music education, specializing in wind conducting, from...
This month, we are installing a new exhibition that reexamines the role of musical instruments, especially the way they transcend their original purpose of making music. Rather than viewing instruments as static objects, our goal is to present...
From the Executive Director A bridge connects two places that might not otherwise meet. It does not choose sides. It simply stands, making connection possible. I often think about the Museum of Making Music in these terms. In fact, I have found...
Music has a way of asking us to step beyond what feels comfortable, and at the Museum of Making Music, that spirit of curiosity and courage shapes everything we do. One of the quiet lessons music teaches us again and again is that our sense of...
In 2026 at the Museum, there will be new and exciting special exhibitions. We’ll kick things off in February by welcoming a remarkable guitar collection from the renowned Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery. In celebration of its 50th anniversary,...
There is a new way for visitors to share their experiences at the Museum of Making Music. This month, we launched an exit survey system available both on an iPad in the museum store and through take-home bookmarks with QR codes. We're using two...
We are so thrilled to announce our Volunteer of the Year, Diane Scholfield. Diane is someone who lives and breathes music. From the many instruments she’s played (and continues to play) in the New Horizons bands, to the tiny harmonica she wears...
