Museum of Making Music
Founded in 1998 under NAMM’s organizational umbrella and with its sponsorship, the Museum of Making Music explores the multifaceted history of the American music products industry from its beginnings in the 1890s to today. Housed at NAMM Headquarters in Carlsbad, California (north San Diego county), the Museum tells stories of hard work, challenge, inspiration and pioneering innovation, and reveals the profound relationship between the industry, popular music, and global culture.
The Museum serves as a resource for the community of NAMM members through the preservation, interpretation and sharing of the industry’s collective history in a public museum context. In addition, it reveals the unique and often unknown story of the music products industry to the general public. And, through intimate concerts, films, discussions, hands-on workshops, volunteer opportunities and programs for underserved youth, the Museum opens doors to enable people of all ages and walks of life to find their way into the richly kaleidoscopic world of music making.
The Museum curates public exhibits that relate to the history of American popular music, the manufacture and retail of musical instruments and the history of the music products industry from the 1890s to the present day. The museum's galleries consist of more than 450 vintage instruments and artifacts on display, hundreds of audio samples of popular music and an area for visitors to interact with a variety of live, hands-on instruments.
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