Musical Instruments
More than 5,000 instruments from around the world and across history, from ancient Egypt to the present — one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind.
The mechanics of sound: organology, craft, and acoustic design.
usical instruments present a rare museum paradox: they are visually complete sculptural objects whose ultimate purpose requires physical touch and acoustic activation. The Met’s collection spans five thousand years of organological innovation across five continents.
From ancient Egyptian bone flutes to the world’s oldest surviving piano by Bartolomeo Cristofori, and the intricate baroque violins of Antonio Stradivari, the holdings trace how instrument makers resolved the dual demands of mechanical physics and royal decorative display.
