Signature Event activities are included with paid museum admission; free for members.
Tickets for Treasures: Legendary Musical Instruments are $7 with paid museum admission or $10 special exhibition only for ages 20 and up, $4 for ages 4–19, and free for ages 3 and under.
Explore what makes a musical treasure in the opening of this special exhibition celebrating the power of music across 6,000 years of history.
Programming supported in part by the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture and Arizona Commission on the Arts
Organ Performance 12:30 p.m. Orientation Gallery Enjoy a short demonstration of MIM’s 14-foot-tall pipe organ, made in 1859, the only surviving instrument of New York City builder Thomas Robjohn.
Curator Talk: Stories Behind the Instruments 1:00–1:45 p.m. Event Room 2 Dive deeper into the stories behind the instruments in Treasures. Curators Daniel Piper, PhD, and Eddie Chia-Hao Hsu, PhD, share fascinating details about historical instruments from Mesopotamia, ancient Greece, China, the Ottoman Empire, and Indigenous peoples of South America.
Curator Talk: What Makes a Treasure? 2:30–3:15 p.m. Event Room 2 Learn about the many ways instruments may be defined as treasures as curators Rich Walter, PhD, and David Wegehaupt share insight into the process of creating MIM’s new exhibition, focusing on instruments from Europe and the United States.
Photo Booth 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. El Río Have your picture taken with our hands-free photo booth and digitally receive your pictures! Tag us with #MIMphx for a chance to be featured on our social media.
Spike Lute Craft 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. South El Río Create your own spike lute, a type of string instrument featured throughout MIM’s galleries and in Treasures.
Organ Performance 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Orientation Gallery Enjoy a short demonstration of MIM’s 14-foot-tall pipe organ, made in 1859, the only surviving instrument of New York City builder Thomas Robjohn.
Treasures Mini-Tour 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Target Gallery Included with special exhibition admission only. Space is limited; first come, first served. Explore incredible musical treasures from around the world with one of MIM’s curators in this brief insider’s look at the curation of the exhibition.
Persian Classical Music Performance 12:30–1:00 p.m. Main Courtyard Iranian tār player and maker Farrokh Mahaee performs Persian classical music.
Oud Performance 3:30–4:00 p.m. Main Courtyard Renowned oud player Viken Najarian demonstrates excellent skill on an instrument highlighted in Treasures.
Treasures Mini-Tour 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Target Gallery Included with special exhibition admission only. Space is limited; first come, first served. Explore incredible musical treasures from around the world with one of MIM’s curators in this brief insider’s look at the curation of the exhibition.
Paradise Winds Performance 12:15–12:45 p.m. Main Courtyard This Phoenix-based chamber ensemble gives a performance demonstrating the diversity and harmony of woodwind instruments.
Organ Performance 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Orientation Gallery Enjoy a short demonstration of MIM’s 14-foot-tall pipe organ, made in 1859, the only surviving instrument of New York City builder Thomas Robjohn.
Bartholomew Faire Performance 3:30–4:00 p.m. Main Courtyard Hear Bartholomew Faire’s mastery of the rich textures and harmonies found in medieval and Renaissance music.
Programming is subject to change.
Lunch at Café Allegro Offered daily starting at 11:00 a.m. Enjoy a menu of delicious global cuisine with fresh entrees, salads, soups, and grill items showcasing local produce and flavors from around the world.
Members Save 20% at the Museum Store All weekend, members save 20% on most items in the Museum Store, including holiday gifts, cards, and décor, as well as MIM’s new exhibition catalog, Treasures: Legendary Musical Instruments. Some restrictions apply; please ask an associate for details.
Proceeds from your purchase benefit MIM and its programs.
