The Traveling Exhibit. Science. History. Pop Culture.
Bring The "Science Of Sound" To Your Venue!
"GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked The World" is the wildly popular traveling exhibit that
will take your visitors on a fascinating exploration of the science, sound, history, and pop culture
behind the world's favorite instrument. Immersed in a unique collection of instruments and
hands-on interactives, people of all ages will experience an exhibit that is engaging, educational,
and entertaining.
Packed with STEAM-based elements, GUITAR introduces visitors to concepts including
electromagnetism, sound waves, frequency, decibel levels, mathematical scales, engineering
design, and materials—along with amplification, memory skills, and performance.
Attendance at our host venues has soared—often by double digits—during the run of GUITAR, in many cases by more than 30%.
The exhibit generates significant TV and radio coverage, headlines, and print and web media at each opening.
And the opportunities for programming, promotion, and community engagement are endless.
GUITAR has become a "must-see" exhibit for visitors in every city it's been.
Contact us now to bring one of today's most popular traveling exhibits—featuring the world's coolest cultural icon—to your venue!
EXHIBIT DETAILS
"GUITAR:The Instrument That Rocked The World"
This exhibition explores all facets of the world's most popular instrument, from its history as an instrument of popular culture over the past four hundred years to modern efforts to reinvent the guitar with different materials, shapes, and approaches to design. Design illustrations, objects, and photographs provide a rich context for exploring the artistic components of the guitar. Visitors will experience the art, history, and cultural impact of the guitar in an exhibition that contains 40 instruments ranging from the rare and antique to the wildly popular and innovative. The artifacts are supplemented with dozens of photographs and illustrations that depict significant artists and instruments of the last century.
"Medieval To Metal: The Art & Evolution Of The GUITAR" is an exciting and engaging experience that gives visitors the chance to interact with the guitar not only from the perspective of its history. As the guitar's ancestors evolved over centuries from the earliest ouds and lutes, guitar makers experimented with shapes, materials, and accessories, seeking the perfect blend of beauty and sound. Musicians and luthiers continue to alter guitar design in their endless quest for a fresh aesthetic and sound that fuels creative synergy, musical innovation, and cultural change. Just as American guitar designers of the 1960s departed radically from the iconic hourglass shape, street-corner guitarists led the protest movement that challenged the status quo.
In addition to the objects, the exhibition features
The Permanence Of Design
Hand-drawn illustrations were created for the exhibition by renowned designer Gerard Huerta. The illustrations show how guitars designed in the 1950s have not changed while other contemporary devices, from automobiles to telephones, are nearly unrecognizable relative to their 1950s counterparts. (8 life-sized prints)
The Players & Their Instruments
Mounted photos of famous players of the past 100 years and the guitars most closely associated with them provide a link to the people who have helped establish the guitar's legacy. The photos were taken by noted concert photographer Neil Zlozower. (20 framed 11 x 14 prints).
If your art museum or venue is interested in scheduling this exciting new exhibition, contact us at 917-208-4333, or email us at director {at} nationalguitarmuseum.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
THE TOUR SCHEDULE
EXHIBIT REVIEWS
"We look for exhibits that take popular topics and add the science to them because people learn more while they're having fun. "Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked The World" has been a great fit for that reason." – JoAnn Newman, President. Orlando Science Center
"We've had terrific reaction from a wide variety of audiences, from the traditional museum member families to adults who appear to have a specific musical interest. The exhibit is also drawing the interest of dads, with children of a wide variety of ages. In the first month, the number of visitors on Saturdays increased by 92% and the number of Sunday visitors increased by 61%." – Jo Haas, CEO. Kentucky Science Center
"The GUITAR Exhibit rocked for us! We were able to attract a very broad audience beyond what we would typically see in our museum, and we received an enormous amount of media attention. For months after the exhibit left, people were still telling me how much they enjoyed it. A big success!" – Ann Metzger, Director. Carnegie Science Center and Carnegie Museum of Natural History
"This is one of the only exhibits where I can say that every element–from installation to the entire visitor experience–was 100 percent positive. We had numerous repeat visitors, along with people who had never come to the museum before. GUITAR had universal appeal and unparalleled patron satisfaction." – Rod Hansen, Director of Exhibits. The Museum Of Idaho
"GUITAR was an excellent exhibit that gave us the opportunity to build extensive programming around it. We were able to integrate the exhibit into ongoing "science of sound" demonstrations, events, and performances for our visitors during its entire run." – Russ Repp, Vice President. OMSI
"I was thrilled to have GUITAR here at the Buffalo Museum of Science. It was a success by every measure. The quality of the experience is wonderful and it has extremely wide appeal." – Marisa Wigglesworth, President and CEO. Buffalo Museum of Science
ABOUT US
"GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked The World" is a touring exhibit produced by The National GUITAR Museum. The NGM was founded to promote and preserve the legacy of the guitar, and is the world's first museum dedicated to the history, science, evolution, and cultural impact of the guitar.
The NGM launched the exhibit in 2011. It is currently booked at sites across the country for the next several years. At the completion of the tour, one U.S. city will be chosen to become the permanent home of The National GUITAR Museum.
The museum is overseen by its executive director, HP Newquist, and is supported by curators, designers, museum professionals, and a Board Of Advisors that includes guitarists Tony Iommi, Steve Vai, Steve Howe, Liona Boyd, Ritchie Blackmore, and Joe Bonamassa.