Flying through the Musical Instrument Museum

It's taken me much longer to go through all the photos I took when my niece Karen and I visited MIM (the Musical Instrument Museum), so I'm just going to dive in and start sharing. MIM is one place I highly recommend you visit if you ever find yourself in Phoenix.

Karen standing between the slot drums at the museum entrance.

Karen and I got to see The Magic Flute exhibit shortly before it closed.

Made by the Chokwe people of Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Left: Whistle made by the Comanche people, Oklahoma, 1983. Turkey bone and beads. Right: Whistle made by the Cheyenne people, Montana or South Dakota, c. 1900. Reed, animal skin, fiber, beads.

Samurai armor, Japan, early to mid-19th century. Metal, leather, lacquer, silk, wood.

Hitoyogiri, Japan, early 14th century. Bamboo, lacquer, pigment.

The clear glass flute was owned by Napoleon. The blue glass flute was owned by his brother, Louis, who was King of Holland.

Costumes from The Magic Flute at the Seattle Opera.

You can see here that Karen is making use of the headphones to learn more about the exhibits.

Tengai (basket hat), Japan, late 19th century. Reed, thread. Worn by Buddhist monks of the Fuke sect.

Yinggu (double-headed drum), 19th century. Wood, animal skin, paint, lacquer. A drum on a tall stand used in the court orchestra. Painted with a motif of dragons among clouds.

Detail

Another lute that I somehow neglected to get the details of. Behind it, you can see a foot, which reminds me of something that gobsmacked me. I am used to school groups in these places, and they run roughshod everywhere and scream and shout at the tops of their lungs. NOT HERE! Karen and I were very impressed at how carefully the children were monitored.

Detail. I find myself taking lots of close-ups because I'm in awe of the artistry and craftsmanship.

Pū (shell trumpet), French Polynesia, 19th century.

Another shell trumpet

Slit drums, Malakula Island, 1930-1950. Ironwood. Played fpr rituals on sacred beaches. The one on the left is a Boo-boo, and the one on the right, from Ambrym Island 1950-1969, is an atingting. I love their names and I love these drums!

Mariachis are represented here, of course. I love mariachi music.

One exhibit is hands-on, and I always have to go in there and bang the gong. Karen tried her hand at an instrument or two. (You can see "my" gong behind her.)

Durgā mask, Ghasi people, West Bengal, 2009. Papier-mâché, plastic, textile.

Rather unsettling, isn't she?

Lunch out on the patio before Dial-a-Ride came to pick us up. I'm not much of a drinker. It's been years since I had a margarita, but we discovered High Noon's flavored vodka seltzer. Yum!

I hope you enjoyed this whirlwind tour of MIM. There's always something new to see, and-- unlike many other places-- I can never leave without buying something at the gift shop!