Musical Instrument Museum - MIM

09/01/2026

Art imitates nature. 🐦🎶

The dizi is a Chinese side-blown flute known for its distinctive buzzing sound, which is created by a thin reed membrane that covers one of the holes in the middle of the instrument. Experienced dizi players know how to produce a wide array of sounds—players such as Eddie Chia-Hao Hsu, our curator for Asia and Oceania, demonstrating here how this instrument can imitate bird calls.

There’s a dizi on display in our special exhibition The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power—see it and more than 100 other rare flutes from around the world before the exhibition closes September 13! ⬇️
https://mim.org/special-exhibitions/

Sponsored by John & Joan D’Addario Foundation, Mary Ann & John Mangels, and PNC Bank

08/30/2026

Only two weeks remain before our special exhibition closes! 🪈✨

The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power showcases more than 100 remarkable flutes from the dawn of music to the present day, celebrating the resounding influence of the flute on cultures from around the world.

Featuring a crystal flute made for Napoleon Bonaparte, a flute made from a vulture bone 8,000 years ago, and more, this is a collection you won’t want to miss.

Learn more and plan your visit before The Magical Flute closes September 13! ⬇️
https://mim.org/galleries/special-exhibitions/the-magical-flute/

Exhibition sponsored by John & Joan D’Addario Foundation, Mary Ann & John Mangels, and PNC Bank

08/29/2026

A fusion of craftsmanship and musicianship. 🪗

Throughout the years, MIM has commissioned instruments from notable makers. One such instrument is an accordion made especially for MIM by internationally renowned Cajun musician and accordion maker Marc Savoy.

Made from rare Louisiana red pine salvaged from Savoy’s family farm, this instrument’s beautiful façade is matched only by its rich melodic sound, which Savoy demonstrates in this video.

See this instrument in MIM’s Cajun | Zydeco exhibit in the United States / Canada Gallery. Learn more and plan your visit. ⬇️
https://mim.org/plan-your-visit/

08/28/2026

Sometimes a familiar song can unlock more than a memory. 🎶

MIM’s Memory Care and Music Series is designed for people with cognitive impairment, including memory loss and dementia, and their care partners to connect through music, movement, shared stories, and exploration.

We’re grateful to KJZZ for visiting MIM and shining a spotlight on this incredible program, and to the Twiford Foundation for supporting the series and helping make these meaningful experiences possible.

Learn more about our next Memory Care and Music Series program on September 9. ⬇️
https://mim.org/events/memory-care-and-music-series-2026/2026-09-09/

Read the full story from KJZZ below. ⬇️
https://www.kjzz.org/kjzz-news/2026-08-26/this-musical-instrument-museum-program-offers-a-type-of-music-therapy-for-people-with-memory-loss

Supported by the Twiford Foundation

As populations age and cases of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are rising, one program at Phoenix’s Musical Instrument Museum is proving to be the best medicine for some experiencing memory loss.

08/28/2026

A flute fit for a samurai. 🪈

The miyogiri was once embraced by samurai elites. The poetic name Kōrogi (“cricket”) is inscribed at the base of this instrument in gold maki-e lacquer, evoking the instrument’s expressive sound. The flute is further adorned with the gold chō-mon butterfly crest closely associated with the Taira clan, an important and influential samurai clan.

Hear Silkroad Ensemble musician Kojiro Umezaki breathe life into this fascinating instrument!

See this flute and more than 100 other rare flutes in our current special exhibition, The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power, before it closes September 13! ⬇️
https://mim.org/galleries/special-exhibitions/the-magical-flute/

Looking to experience more of Japan’s incredible musical heritage? Join us for our Experience Japan Signature Event September 5, 6, and 7. ⬇️
https://mim.org/events/experience-japan/2026-09-07/

“Kōrogi” miyogiri: MIM Collection, Ex Takao Oikawa Collection, Gift of the Robert J. Ulrich and Diane Sillik Fund

Exhibition sponsored by John & Joan D’Addario Foundation, Mary Ann & John Mangels, and PNC Bank

Signature Event supported by the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix and the Japanese Culture Club of Arizona

08/28/2026

Office goals. ✨

One of the many perks of working at a global musical instrument museum is access to thousands of instruments—some of which you can play!

Looking for a break from the monotony? Come make some music with us in the Experience Gallery.

Learn more and plan your visit. ⬇️
https://mim.org/plan-your-visit/

08/27/2026

Time is running out to explore our special exhibition! See The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power before it closes on September 13! 🪈

Experience the enduring impact of the world’s first wind instrument and explore more than 100 remarkable flutes from the dawn of music to the present day.

Learn more and plan your visit before this extraordinary exhibition closes. ⬇️
https://mim.org/galleries/special-exhibitions/the-magical-flute/

08/27/2026

Shining a spotlight on R. Carlos Nakai. 🪈

R. Carlos Nakai is the preeminent Native American flute player of his generation and the first artist to have earned a platinum record playing traditional Native American flute music. Nakai, who is of Navajo and Ute heritage, has successfully adapted his playing to jazz, classical, and other contemporary settings.

Our current special exhibition, The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power, features special flutes played by masters from around the world—including one from Nakai, as well as his performance regalia. Guests can also see more flutes from this exceptional performer in the R. Carlos Nakai exhibit in our United States / Canada Gallery.

See one of R. Carlos Nakai’s performance flutes plus more than 100 other rare flutes in our current special exhibition, The Magical Flute: Beauty, Enchantment, and Power—closing September 13!
https://mim.org/special-exhibitions/

Native American flute: Gift of R. Carlos Nakai

Exhibition sponsored by John & Joan D’Addario Foundation, Mary Ann & John Mangels, and PNC Bank

08/25/2026

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of legendary singer, songwriter, and musical icon Dolly Parton. An 11-time Grammy winner, Country Music Hall of Fame member, and 10-time CMA Award winner, Parton had a talent for storytelling and a timeless voice that left an incredible mark on American music.

08/25/2026

Happy birthday to composer, conductor, pianist, and educator Leonard Bernstein! 🎂

Bernstein studied music at Harvard University and Philadelphia’s acclaimed Curtis Institute of Music before becoming the first U.S.-born music director of the New York Philharmonic in 1958. He conducted the orchestra in many landmark recordings and performances and helped popularize their televised Young People’s Concerts. Bernstein’s score for the original 1957 Broadway production of West Side Story is just one instance of his role in defining a uniquely American music style.

See objects representing highlights of Bernstein’s musical career—including a baton that he used and a vest and tie that he wore—in our Artist Gallery!

Learn more and plan your visit! ⬇️
Plan Your Visit to the Musical Instrument Museum

Loan courtesy of Flavio Chamis