Music museum celebrates 250 Years of American music
As the date draws near to America’s 250th anniversary this summer, many people and organizations are celebrating the event in their own way. Starting last month, Vermillion’s own National Music Museum opened an exhibit titled “Of Thee I Sing,” which aims to celebrate the electric history of American music and instruments. On display are a variety of instruments that evoke the country’s collaboration with different cultural styles that emerged from all manner of citizens.
Thirty instruments were hand-picked for their uniqueness and ability to deliver a historical timeline that stretches from the origin of American music to more contemporary instruments. The exhibit encompasses pivotal moments in the country and the ideal of establishing a unique national identity.
One of the head curators of the exhibit, Anna Van Kley, was asked about the thought process behind this exhibit.
“We were looking for instruments that told stories about American origin, heritage or patriotism, or sometimes even all three,” Van Kley said. “We also looked for pieces that embodied the immigrant journey.”
To represent this are instruments that range from classical American guitars to European-inspired horn instruments, and even classic Native American drums and flutes.
Van Kley gives an in-depth discussion of some of the pieces, including an early piano.
“The only instrument we had to borrow from another museum was an authentic Gibson and Davis piano that dates back to the early 1800s,” Van Kley said. “It is one of the first American keyboard instruments.”
Another notable piece is the Gourd Fiddle, an instrument that was constructed to be symbolic of the slave experience.
“You have all kinds of different aspects of this instrument that are an allegory for the Underground Railroad itself,” Van Kley said. “I think it’s really uniquely American, not only because it’s American-made and its history, but because it’s an instrument that idolizes the pursuit of justice and freedom.”
One of the more contemporary displays is an authentic Bill Clinton saxophone, specially made for the former president and coated in national colors and stars and stripes. While this specific instrument may be recognizable to some, the aim of the exhibit is to showcase that musical history is not made up of only notable names, but a collaborative effort from all walks of life.
The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. and is free to all students with a student ID. Currently the museum displays roughly 1,000 instruments that tell the stories of countries all over the world, with potential plans for their next exhibit to cover the Golden Age of Bands.
The 250th American Anniversary exhibit is planned to run for the remainder of 2026. For more information about the exhibit, visit their website at https://www.nmmusd.org/.
