MIM's the word...

MIM - Musical Instrument Museum.

Joan has been wanting to do this museum for several years, but something else always came up.  I had no idea what to expect... well, I didn't expect it to be a world class museum... which it absolutely is!

It is a gorgeous building from the exterior - even more impressive inside...

There were two events going on today that made this the day: a percussion concert and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus.  We paid our entrance fee, put on the headphones (well, Joan brought her own headphones to plug into the receivers they give you), and started our tour...

We barely made it through the introductory exhibits when it was time for the percussion concert.  It was ASU masters and doctorate students presenting some very unique arrangements.  No photos allowed for that, so just the essay here.  The theater was very nice, the performance was... very percussive.

Back to the exhibits...

As you can see here, many of the exhibits were arranged by country or region.  There are a lot of photos here, but it doesn't begin to show how extensive these displays are.

Time for lunch - there is a restaurant on the premises.  Then, out to the John Lennon Educational Bus...

The bus and crew is a non-profit venture, funded by the sponsors you see on the bus.  They tour the country, working with schools and other groups, giving kids the opportunity to work with state of the art audio and video production.  Again, very impressive - one suite in the bus...

Back to the museum.  We had covered Asia, Australia, and Latin America - we still needed to see the artists' displays, and the United States and Canada.  First, a look in the shop, where restorations are done...

Then, up the stairs and back to our part of the world...

And, an interactive room, where you can play the instruments...

We didn't finish up until closing time, at 5:00 pm.  Sensory overload and tired feet.

They offer a two-day pass - you could easily spend that time and more.  There are also concerts during the evenings.  This place is happening!