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...
How do you represent a creative community that is constantly evolving and changing? That is a question we think about often at the Museum of Making Music. Music is never still. Neither are the people who design the instruments, imagine new...
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...
As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the quiet force that shapes so much of our work here at the Museum of Making Music: curiosity. It’s easy to think of curiosity as the spark that brings visitors in, but it’s just as...
The 1960s were marked by moments of significant social, political, technological, and cultural change. One of the results of these movements was a change in consumerism, especially for the music industry. The Sears catalog became a pivotal...
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Alex Pepper, our new Visitor Experience Manager at the NAMM Museum of Making Music! Alex brings an amazing mix of talents to our team with skills in computer science, website development, and graphic...
In the past few months, we've welcomed several amazing new staff members to our museum team. With this new growth, we’re looking ahead with excitement for all that’s to come. First on our list is wrapping up this year and...
As we head into fall, field trips to the museum are increasing, and we find ourselves asking, and reminding each other, “How do we best interpret the museum for our younger visitors?” While the primary audience for our museum is adults with...
