Museum of Instruments

Michael's experience at the Museum of Instruments

Located a short five minute walk from our apartments in South Kensington, the Royal College of Music provides a world-renowned education to students wishing to pursue lives in the musical arts. As a musician, it was a fascinating experience getting to see where so many famous composers and musicians have spent their formative years, developing their craft and creating some of the most recognized symphonic pieces from across the ages.

When I was looking up online where the College was located, I was surprised to learn that it was just two streets over form where I am staying at Ambassador House. As I approached, I was greeted by the sound of students practicing piano from the basement of the building. In fact, had it not been for the music resonating from the building itself, I may have walked right past it. I was rather surprised at how unassuming the building actually is, considering how beautiful some of the other buildings are in the South Kensington area. Needless to say, I had imagined that a College so famous would reside in a building with a bit more grandeur. With that being said, the lack of a brilliant façade is surely rectified by the College’s location within the city. As I walked up to the building, I was more focused on the massive Royal Albert Hall to my left than the college campus to my right. What a great location for the conservatory to be, just across the street from a concert venue known across the globe for its superior sound and history!

The purpose for my visit was not only to see a conservatory I have heard a great deal about in music classes over the last 10 years, the Royal College of Music houses a famous Museum of Instruments that documents the musical history of some of the worlds greatest musical artifacts. After signing in at the college’s Reception area, I was directed to the basement where the museum is housed. For a building as unassuming as the RCM, the museum was even more conservative in its style and presentation. Two plain wooden doors were accompanied by a small “Museum” sign with an arrow, directing me further into the basement towards the exhibit. However, when I opened the door, I was greeted with a 2-storey room full of antique and iconic instruments dating back as far as the 12^th century. It took me around an hour to walk through the exhibit, stopping to photograph some of the collection’s most famous pieces.

By far, the most interesting piece within the museum was an instrument called a Clavicytherium (see photo). This piece is the oldest surviving example of a stringed keyboard instrument, like a piano. 

Dating from the 14^th century, the level of detail in the craftsmanship was astounding. The piece was so important that the museum commissioned a playable replica to be made, allowing select students to experience a bit of musical history. Though much of the collection was unlabeled, it was still very interesting to see the collection of history that such a small little museum housed. In addition to the instruments themselves, the museum also had a collection of written compositions and about a dozen portraits of famous composers.

Overall, it was very fascinating to experience the history that I have learned so much about in music classes at State and in high school. The collection presents a unique opportunity for those who are willing to seek it out. After all, the museum is practically in our backyard here in South Kensington.