The Museum of Making Music is a fun and informative museum that exists to inspire visitors to interactively discover the history of making music, musical instruments and products. Discover and play musical instruments at a unique museum that tells the story of how instruments were made, used, and sold. At the museum you will travel through time, from 1900 to today, exploring the connections among people, instruments, and the music we make…and make some music of your own! A vibrant concert series is ongoing throughout the year!
The Museum of Making Music is an inviting and engaging place for families and individuals alike. It’s a destination. A place of inquiry. A place of discovery. A place where the creative relationship between people, musical instruments, and music is explored. And a place where your imagination takes flight.
See hundreds of instruments on display from the last 150 years, hear a vast sampling of musical styles from yesterday and today, experience an immersive panoramic multimedia display and multiple hands-on opportunities, and reflect on what it means to make music in your life and in the world today. Special exhibitions are presented twice a year with concurrent music presentations and workshops highlighting renowned international and national musicians as well as local talent. The Museum believes in broad-based educational programming, and providing accessible instructional experience to students of all ages and backgrounds.
Founded in 1998 by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), the Museum of Making Music was developed to showcase and celebrate the music products industry. Soon thereafter, in March 2000, the Museum was opened to the public. For over ten years, the Museum has provided opportunities for cultural enrichment while preserving our musical heritage through special exhibitions, innovative concerts and educational programs aimed toward a wide range of audiences.
Current & Upcoming Exhibitions
MIDI@40: Artistry • Inclusivity • Connectivity
Created in collaboration with the MIDI Association, MIDI@40 celebrates the incredible possibilities enabled by MIDI in the 40 years since its public introduction. Through a collection of stories and media from manufacturers, musicians, and engineers, visitors will learn about the myriad ways MIDI has impacted music: new sonic and performance capabilities, far-reaching real-time collaboration, nearly limitless adaptability and extensibility, and more. A brief history of MIDI, along with a look at its future and a high-level overview of its functionality, will contextualize the technology. Finally, an interactive area with MIDI-enabled instruments and other devices will give visitors a glimpse at what MIDI has made possible.
Upcoming Events
Visit Museum of Making Music
Address:
5790 Armada Drive
Carlsbad, CA
92008
Phone:
(760) 438-5996
Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed Mondays
Close on New Year's Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January), Good Friday, Memorial Day (last Monday of May), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (1st Monday in September), Veterans' Day (November 11), Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November), Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day (Dec 24 & 25).
Website:
5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad, CA