Berlin Musical Instrument Museum

Berlin’s Musical Instrument Museum preserves the sound of past centuries. Established in 1888, it holds a remarkable collection of 3,500 instruments that trace the evolution of music-making across Europe and beyond.

Sounds Through Time

The galleries move from early keyboard instruments and Baroque craftsmanship to Romantic-era orchestral pieces and 20th-century design. Visitors see harpsichords with ornate cases, fortepianos that predate the modern grand, and organs that once filled churches with resonant tone. Brass and woodwinds illustrate how valves, keys, and materials changed the possibilities of melody and volume.

Craft, Design, and Innovation

Fine detail stands out in carved scrolls, inlaid wood, and polished metalwork. Side-by-side displays highlight how instrument builders experimented with shape, mechanism, and acoustics. The collection shows delicate strings built for intimate salons as well as robust concert instruments designed to reach the back row of grand halls.

From Court Music to Concert Stage

Labels and context place each instrument in its cultural moment—court entertainment, liturgical music, salon gatherings, and modern orchestras. The museum’s timeline reveals how social change shaped sound: the rise of public concerts, the growth of opera houses, and the move from chamber ensembles to large symphonies.

Berlin’s Musical Memory

Founded in the late 19th century, the institution reflects a period when European museums began to document everyday culture alongside fine art. Today, its 3,500-piece collection offers a broad view of music history, connecting craft traditions with performance practice and the enduring human desire to make and share sound.