Music & Musical Instruments

The Museum's music collections contain more than 5,000 instruments of American and European heritage. These include a quartet of 18th-century Stradivari stringed instruments, Tito Puente's autographed timbales, and the Yellow Cloud guitar that belonged to Prince, to name only a few. Music collections also include jukeboxes and synthesizers, square-dancing outfits and sheet music, archival materials, oral histories, and recordings of performances at the museum. The vast Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated Sheet Music is a remarkable window into the American past in words, music, and visual imagery. The Duke Ellington and Ruth Ellington Boatwright collections contain handwritten music compositions, sound recordings, business records, and other materials documenting the career of this renowned musician. In various ways, our collections find expression in performances of the Smithsonian Chamber Players, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, and in other public programs.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1950-51
1950-1951
performer
Anderson, Marian
ID Number
1982.0745.12
accession number
1982.0745
catalog number
1982.0745.12
This is a pamphlet advertising the Yehudi Menuhin shoulder rest for violins. It is made of white paper with black and blue ink. It is a fold-out pamphlet with instructions and diagrams for using the shoulder rest.
Description

This is a pamphlet advertising the Yehudi Menuhin shoulder rest for violins. It is made of white paper with black and blue ink. It is a fold-out pamphlet with instructions and diagrams for using the shoulder rest. The front and back covers feature black-and-white photographs of Yehudi Menuhin.

Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999) is considered to be one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. Menuhin was an American-born violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom.

Location
Currently not on view
date made
1955-1965
depicted (sitter)
Menuhin, Yehudi
ID Number
2015.3005.015
nonaccession number
2015.3005
catalog number
2015.3005.015
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1950s
ID Number
1984.0374.35
accession number
1984.0374
catalog number
1984.0374.35

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.