Berlin - Musical Instrument Museum Musikinstrumenten-Museum

Founded in 1888, the Berlin Musical Instrument Museum belongs to the Prussian Cultural Heritage National Institute for musical research. Until 1983 it was housed separately in Wilmersdorf. The new building by the Tiergarten, designed by Hans Scharoun and completed by Edgar Wisniewski, has been open to the public since 1984 and is directly connected to the Philharmonic Hall.

In the bright and open museum some 500 instruments covering a wide spectrum are displayed in chronological order. The collection embraces mainly European instruments from the 16th to the 19th C., including some rare Renaissance and Baroque items. Also built into the room are two church organs and a 1929 Wurlitzer concert organ. At other times the visitor can hear the instruments through large floor-standing loudspeakers. Labels provide basic information, which is supplemented by guide sheets and museum publications. The museum also has a reference library of 40,000 volumes relating primarily to musical instruments, as well as photo archives containing more than 55,000 documents, including patent specifications, graphics, etc. which are available for public viewing. There is also a small concert hall that will seat 200, a restoration workshop, a jazz and folklore room and the SIM cafe in the basement.