Hilltown Families 
The Instrument that Rocked the World, Rocks Western MA!
GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World
Rocks the Springfield Museums!
January 18 through April 21, 2013
GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World, an exhibit celebrating what is arguably the single most enduring icon in American history, will be on view January 18 through April 21, 2013 at the Springfield Museums.
Throughout history, the many different media that humans have used in order to channel their creativity has expanded – whether as a result of changes in technology, shifting culture, or the availability of different and materials, the ways in which we convey and share our creativity constantly evolving. The Springfield Museums’ most recent addition explores the history behind one particularly interesting and popular means of expression – the guitar.
“GUITAR: The Instrument that Rocked the World,” is a nationally touring exhibit which, after five years of visiting museums around the country, will culminate in the creation of a national guitar museum. It will be on view in two museums at the Springfield Museum from January 18 through April 21, 2013.
This fully immersive exhibition allows visitors to interact with the guitar from a historical perspective, learn about its evolution and design, discover the music that guitars have helped to create, and understand the guitar’s role as an agent of personal freedom, social change, and expression. Featuring guitars from greats like Steve Vai, Johnny Winter, and others, the exhibition includes more than 60 instruments – from the rare and antique to the wildly popular and innovative. There’s even the world’s largest playable guitar (over 43 feet long!), along with performance video and audio, hands-on interactives, touch screens, and photographs.
The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum houses an exhibit made up of guitars of all shapes and sizes from all over the world, illustrating the evolution of the instrument across cultures and throughout history. The exhibit also includes examples of early relatives of the guitar, including stringed instruments from Africa and Asia.
The Wood Museum of History is housing the second half of the exhibit, which details the modern history of guitar. The introduction of electric guitars into the music world drastically changed the instrument’s role in music, as well as the way in which guitars can be played. The second part of this exhibit includes many different modern guitars, including some pretty outlandish ones, like an 8-necked electric guitar and the world’s largest playable guitar (a full 43 feet long!).
A visit to the exhibits can help students of all ages learn to make cultural history meaningful, and would be a terrific supplement to music studies. Music in almost every genre includes elements of guitar, and students can learn about the evolution of music by studying how this one important instrument has changed.
Before or after visiting the museum, families can learn about several types of guitars (and their use in music) from Grammy-nominated children’s musician, Mister G, a contributor of Hilltown Families. Mister G’s recent vlog for Hilltown Families takes viewers straight into his studio, for a special lesson on guitars in his monthly column, “Under the Hat: Independent Music Education.” Families can learn about the unique sound each has, and will learn about how Mister G uses each one to enhance his music. Great for kids of all ages!
You can also check out this video to help understand the physics of the rock guitar, as illustrated by physicist Mark Lewney:
The Springfield Museums are located at 21 Edwards Street in Springfield, MA. Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sundays from 11am-5pm. For more information, call 800-625-7738 or visit www.springfieldmuseums.org.
A Family Fun Event to celebrate the opening of GUITAR will take place on Saturday, January 19 from 10 am – 5 pm. Other events scheduled during the exhibit’s run include a talk on Les Paul by Steve Waksman from Smith College and a musical showcase featuring Peter Newland and the Springfield rock band Fat. Guitar students from Falcetti Music will also perform on weekends during the exhibit, and special school tours related to the exhibit will also be available. Complete exhibit details are available online at http://www.springfieldmuseums.org.
There is a special exhibition fee of $3 for all visitors ages 3 and up to view GUITAR in addition to museum admission. General admission is $15.00 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students, $8 for children 3-17, and free for children under three and museum members. This fee provides admission to all four Springfield Museums. Springfield residents receive free general admission with proof of address.