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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Timbales, used by Tito Puente
- Date made
- 1990 - 1996
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Blind Musician
- Date
- ca. 1940
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Cuban Rumba Dress
- date made
- 1973 - 1987
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A Winter Party
- Date
- 18th-19th century
- Period
- Edo period
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Patsy Cline's Costume
- date made
- ca 1958
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Collar bell with masks (taotie)
- Date
- ca. 1250-1050 BCE
- Period
- Late Shang dynasty, Anyang period
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Guitar
- Date created
- circa 1910
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E-mu SP-12 Drum Machine
- date made
- 1985-1986