Music moves us and plays a decisive role in knitting together our social lives. The Barcelona Music Museum invites you to explore the worlds of music, and its history and culture, through observing instruments and listening to and interacting with music. Every instrument in this exceptional collection -500 of the more than 2,200 are on display- still bears the indelible mark made by humans. It is the mark of the people who made them, who handled them and who used them to create one of the most intimate of social activities and, at the same time, the most intense and shared activity in the collective life of humans. We can reflect on these instruments while listening to everything from the cello of Pau Casals to a sarangi from India, from Albéniz to Granados, Sor, Paco de Lucía and the Rolling Stones.
After an initial introduction on the diversity of musical instruments and types of music, the exhibition takes the visitor on a historical journey through different periods, from the Middle Ages up to the most popular music and modern-day technology, and finishes by taking a look at the cultures of other continents. In each space along the journey audiovisual projections and interactive devices provide an aesthetic and informative perspective which immerses us in each particular time period.
The Museum’s collection of classical guitars is considered to be one of the most important in the world. It includes fine examples like the guitars of Antonio de Torres, the greatest guitar maker in history. Also of note are the keyboard instruments, particularly the Zell harpsichord (1736), the Hauslaib claviorganum (c. 1600) and the Pérez-Molero organ (1719), and other pieces from various origins such as the gamelan set from Bali, the Fender guitar from the United States, the guitar once owned by Victoria de los Ángeles and Pep Ventura’s tenor guitar.
At the end of the visit, in a special hall, visitors are given the chance to play various musical instruments; this is a particularly appealing activity for families with kids. Furthermore, during the visit you will find some ESMUC's students while they rehearse with the grand piano Steinway & Sons, a piano played in the Auditori during many of its legendary concerts; and also with teachers from the same school teaching in one of the exhibition rooms. We hope you enjoy your visit!