Grand Opening Date Set for Musical Instrument Museum

Music lovers, listen up! Phoenix's newest cultural attraction, the Musical Instrument Museum, has announced its grand opening date of April 24th, 2010.

The grand opening ceremony is a highly-anticipated event that will mark the conclusion of the lengthy 26-month construction process. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will commence at 8:45am on Saturday, April 24th with the first tours to begin immediately afterward.

Wireless headset guides will be available to patrons as they browse the collection of over 3,000 instruments on display in over 350 unique exhibits. The Musical Instrument Museum has the goal of collecting and exhibiting instruments from every country in the world, and they're well on their way to accomplishing that goal. The full collection is estimated to include 12,000 pieces currently.

Some of the museum's most unique instruments include the world's oldest known Steinway piano from 1836, the world's largest playable acoustic guitar, the Harmony Super Sovereign, and one of the massive drums used in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The museum also features instruments owned by famous musicians such as John Lennon, George Benson, Paul Simon, and Keith Harris of the Black Eyed Peas.
Of course, there's more to the MIM than just a fantastic collection of instruments from around the world! The museum also features a 299-seat concert hall that is a marvel of acoustically-engineered architecture. Its unique design ensures that every seat in the house sounds amazing. A full schedule of upcoming concerts is available at the MIM website.

In addition, a restaurant and gift shop offers patrons the opportunity to grab a bite to eat or pick up a souvenir from their visit.
The Musical Instrument Museum itself is an impressive 190,000 square-foot facility that cost approximately $250 million dollars to build. The lush desert landscaping brings a distinctly Arizona theme to this worldly collection of instruments. A water feature called the "El Rio" river greets visitors as they cross the courtyard to the museum's entrance.
Just to the right, a massive sculpture called "Phoenix" stands prominently on display. It is the work of Belgian artist Louis Halleaux and was created especially for the Musical Instrument Museum.

Those interested in attending the Musical Instrument Museum's grand opening ceremony on April 24th are advised that tickets are sold on a first-come, first serve basis. Tickets must be purchased in advance through the MIM website or by calling (480) 478-6001.
The Musical Instrument Museum is conveniently located in North Scottsdale on the Southwest corner of Tatum Blvd. and Mayo Blvd, just south of the Loop 101 Agua Fria Freeway. Standard prices to visit the museum are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for children under 17, and children 6 and under are free!

If you're looking for something new to explore in the North Phoenix / North Scottsdale area, the Musical Instrument Museum is sure to become the smash hit of the year.