The National Music Museum is nearing the end of construction

Museums are crucial to preserve and appreciate different groups and cultures. They can promote a better understanding of the world around you.

Music museums are no different. They give people the chance to see different instruments from around the world, hear how they sound and so much more.

Vermillion is home to the National Music Museum (NMM), which had been closed for three years for renovations and additions until its limited opening Oct. 1. Thankfully, there were construction site security personnel that kept the building secure at all times.

With the use of an aerial lift rental and other heavy equipment, the addition called the Lillibridge Wing has added 16,000 square feet to the museum. It includes a museum store, a new gallery for traveling exhibits and a performance hall. A lot of different materials were used in this construction, including plenty of hex head bolts as they’re ideal for securing metal to wood. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Friday, Sept. 24 to unveil the changes.

But the museum is not finished. The permanent exhibits are still under construction. Hopefully, the museum will still open completely sometime in the spring of 2022.

Until then, there are special exhibits and performances available for the public to attend.

With these exhibits open, why not go take a look and see what the NMM has to offer until the full building is open in the spring? For students who are seniors, they only had a month or so before the museum closed, so now is their opportunity to take in what they can of the museum before leaving Vermillion.

Currently, the NMM holds over 15,000 instruments in its collection. The current exhibit open to the public is “NNM goes Electric!” This features electric string instruments and is shown in the new Groves Gallery.

There will soon be over 700 artifacts on permanent display from pre-Colombian America to the global 21st century.

While the museum is only open on a limited schedule, there are traveling exhibits the public can check out. The NMM will be open Oct. 1 – Dec. 13 on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Founded in 1973, the museum is nearing its 50th anniversary, so attending is a great way to celebrate its long history. If given the opportunity and time, check out the NMM, and be sure to keep an eye out for new exhibits in the future.