Musical Treasures at the Smithsonian
From Louis Armstrong's trumpet to Grandmaster Flash's turntable and from a Central African harp to an Apache violin, these objects represent just a sampling of how music is collected, curated and studied at the Smithsonian. Explore these photographs, objects, and artifacts that help explain how music infuses our everyday life, brightening it with its sounds and beats.
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Technics Turntable, used by Grandmaster Flash
- date made
- 1979 - 1988
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Trumpet owned by Louis Armstrong
- Date
- September 1946
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Ensemble associated with Marian Anderson's 1939 Lincoln Memorial concert
- Date
- 1939; modified 1993
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George Gershwin Self-Portrait
- Date
- 1934
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Shiva Vinadhara (Holder of the Lute)
- Date
- ca. 950
- Period
- Chola dynasty
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Boombox, used by Fab 5 Freddy
- date made
- ca 1985
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Selmer Tenor Saxophone, used by John Coltrane
- date made
- 1965
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Hommage à Bessie Smith
- Date
- 1987
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Accordion
- Accession Date
- 27 Mar 1968