Exhibits Overview
Instruments That Made History
Step into the Museum of Music Technology and immerse yourself in three floors of groundbreaking innovation, divided into 19 galleries and over 70 exhibits!
Our museum doesn’t just showcase gear —it tells the stories of the visionaries who shaped the future of sound. Discover exhibits dedicated to Alan R. Pearlman (ARP), Dave Smith (Sequential Circuits), Tom Oberheim (Oberheim), John Chowning (the father of FM synthesis), Les Paul, Don Buchla, and more.
Be sure to check out our dedicated gallery honoring the genius of Robert Moog. Marvel at the four hand-built prototypes of the legendary Minimoog (Models A, B, C, and D), explore Bob Moog’s personal Moog, and dive into decades of innovation that revolutionized electronic music.
But that’s just the beginning. Our collection is packed with instruments that made history—pieces once owned and played by legendary artists from A (Laurie Anderson) to Z (Frank Zappa and Hans Zimmer). You’ll see gear from Keith Emerson, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, Genesis, King Crimson, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Oscar Peterson, Kraftwerk, Neil Young, Bernie Worrell, Queen, Chick Corea, Greg Lake, Mike Oldfield, Bo Diddley, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Eric Johnson, Jan Hammer, The Who—and many more!
WHATEVER YOU'RE INTO, YOU'LL FIND IT HERE
Are you a guitar enthusiast?
Get ready to be amazed by our mind-blowing selection of guitars, basses, amplifiers, and effects units—featuring gear from legends like Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Eric Johnson, Eric Clapton, Lindsey Buckingham, and Neil Young. Plus, explore some of the rarest guitar synthesizers and keytars ever created!
Are wind instruments more your style?
Experience our incredible collection of Electronic Wind Instruments, from the first Lyricons and Steiner Parker EVIs to the one-of-a-kind prototype of the modern Berglund Instruments NuRAD. We even have an early Maestro effects unit designed specifically for saxophones and clarinets!
How about electronic drums?
We’ve got an entire room filled with them—including the iconic yellow hexagonal Simmons SDS-V electronic drum kit. Our drum machine exhibit showcases early mechanical and tape-based rhythm machines, rare prototypes, and the legendary machines that built hip-hop: Roland TR-808, TR-909, LinnDrum, and Oberheim DMX.
Are you an Emerson, Lake & Palmer fanatic?
Step inside our ELP exhibit featuring two of Keith Emerson’s personal grand pianos, his legendary keyboards, PA system, Leslies, and customized Hammonds used on Tarkus and Pictures at an Exhibition. See his L100 organ that famously caught fire on stage in 1997, stage-worn clothing from both Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, several of Greg Lake’s personal instruments, and even his famous Persian stage rug. The crown jewel? Keith’s modular Moog—aka “The World’s Most Dangerous Synthesizer.” And on most tours, you’ll not only see it—you’ll hear it in action!
Are you a Bob Moog admirer?
We’ve dedicated an entire room to his life and legacy. From his early theremin built with his father to full modular Moog systems and Bob Moog’s own Moog, our collection spans decades of groundbreaking innovation. Have you ever seen a Minimoog with presets, a Taurus pedal set that controls stage lighting, or the Moog Liberation and Equalizer keytars? You will—when you book a tour!
Do you love rare, one-of-a-kind instruments?
We have a fully restored Yamaha GX-1, one of only ten left in the world (and possibly the only working one in the U.S.). We house one of six Marimba Lumina Golds made by Don Buchla, both Con Brios (only four were made), the only KineticSound Prism, and an EMS Synthi 100 once used by Karlheinz Stockhausen. See an original Korg PS-3300, a complete ARP 2500 system, and more historic synths you won’t find anywhere else.
Are antique instruments your passion?
Straight from the 1939 World’s Fair, we have two RCA Storytone pianos and two Hammond Novachords (one that’s been fully restored to original factory condition). We’ve also got an Ondes Martenot, two Ondiolines (including Georges Jenny’s own prototype!), and a working 1929 RCA theremin with its original needlepoint speaker.
EVEN IF YOU’RE INTO THE WEIRD STUFF! (HEY WE DON’T JUDGE!)
From synthesizers that use computer punch cards to a psychedelic spinning Leslie with its own onboard UV blacklight, MMT has some of the most bizarre and fascinating music-related oddities ever made. Explore Don Buchla synthesizers that work by reading brainwaves and were rumored to contain LSD in their paint. See two Motorola Scalatrons: strange microtonal instruments that have 56 notes per octave and come with instruction manuals geared more toward engineers than musicians! Surround yourself with creations from the strange mind of Frank Zappa including the claymation figures from the Baby Snakes movie and the creepy animatronic head of ThingFish.
Ever heard of the It’sAnOrgan, an instrument designed so “the girls in the typing pool” could make music? Or a grand piano that runs Windows 98 with a built-in computer monitor in the music stand? How about a Taco Bell coupon that played a critical role in synthesizer history? You’ll see all of this and more.
And then there’s our showroom-fresh 1970s modular Moog – which isn’t particularly weird on its own, but this one was purchased and used exclusively for one truly bizarre album by an artist you’d NEVER expect to have played a Moog… Want to find out who? Book your tour to find out!