This page includes online musical instrument collections grouped by museum or collection type. Select a title to view the various collections.
Instrument Collections Within Museums
Horniman Museum & Gardens (London, UK)
Interactive music gallery of Horniman’s collection of musical instruments.
Louis Armstrong House Museum
Jazz concerts, Louis Armstrong artifacts and more. In Queens, NY
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Musical instrument collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
National Museum of African American Music
Resources, American Music, African American music. Brick and mortar museum.
Smithsonian
More than 5,000 instruments important to Europe or American heritage.
Online Aggregate Collections
MIMO Musical Instrument Museums Online
Online collection of nearly 60,000 instruments across five European museums. Videos and more.
Harry Partch Virtual Instruments
See and play the instruments, hear musical examples, and listen to Harry Partch talk about his music and the instruments.
Musical Instrument Museums
National Music Museum (Vermillion, SD)
More than 15,000 instruments from across the world and across historical periods. Virtual tour of museum exhibits on website. Instrument database with thumbnail images. Click for thorough information and descriptions.
MIME (Musical Instrument Museum of Edinburgh)
Large online collection. Many search features. Zoom in to photo to see instrument details. Sound clips and more.
The Bate Collection, University of Oxford
The Bate Collection at the University of Oxford is a museum dedicated to the history of musical instruments, featuring a wide range of rare and historical pieces.
Brussels Musical Instrument Museum
The Brussels Musical Instrument Museum showcases a vast collection of musical instruments from around the world, highlighting their history and cultural significance.
Brussels MIM OBoe Collection
The Brussels MIM Oboe Collection is part of the Musical Instrument Museum, featuring an extensive selection of oboes from different historical periods and regions.
Centrum Vorr Muziekinstrumentenbouw
The Centrum voor Muziekinstrumentenbouw specializes in the study, construction, and restoration of musical instruments, focusing on both traditional and modern techniques.
Germanischers Nationalmuseum
The Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg preserves and showcases art, cultural history, and a significant collection of musical instruments from various periods.
Historisches Museum Basel
The Historisches Museum Basel showcases Basel’s cultural history, featuring artifacts, art, and musical instruments from various periods.
Horniman Museum
The Horniman Museum in London features diverse collections, including musical instruments, natural history, and cultural artifacts from around the world.
The Jukkiard School
The Juilliard School is a renowned performing arts conservatory in New York, specializing in music, dance, and drama education.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna is a major art museum, housing extensive collections of fine art, decorative arts, and musical instruments from various historical periods.
The Metropolitan Museum
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City houses a vast collection of art, including historical and cultural artifacts, musical instruments, and masterpieces from around the world.
Museum fur Musikinstrumente
The Museum für Musikinstrumente in Berlin displays a vast collection of musical instruments, highlighting their history, design, and cultural significance.
Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis
The Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis in Amsterdam is a historical mansion that houses a collection of musical instruments, particularly keyboard instruments, alongside art and cultural exhibits.
Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts, located in various cities globally, is a renowned institution that showcases a wide range of art collections, including paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts, often with historical and cultural significance.
Musik-Akademine Bael
The Musik-Akademie Basel is a renowned institution in Switzerland offering music education, research, and a rich collection of historical musical instruments.
New England Conservatory
The New England Conservatory in Boston is a prestigious music school offering world-class training in performance, composition, and music education, fostering artistic excellence.
Palais Lascaris
The Palais Lascaris in Nice, France, is a historic baroque palace showcasing an extensive collection of musical instruments alongside period art and artifacts.
Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is a world-renowned museum showcasing Dutch art and history, including masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer, along with decorative arts and artifacts.
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London is a prestigious conservatory offering world-class education in music performance, composition, and research, with an extensive museum of historical instruments.
Royal college of Music
The Royal College of Music in London is a leading conservatoire, providing exceptional training in music performance, composition, and conducting, with a renowned collection of historical instruments.
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester is a leading conservatoire, offering exceptional training in music performance, composition, and research, fostering artistic and professional excellence.
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, a prestigious institution in Scotland, is known for its excellence in education and research, including a rich tradition in music studies and a collection of historical instruments.
