national music museum

We had heard about the National Music Museum and wanted to see it. It is amazing! There is an Italian Gallery, a piano (harpsichord) gallery, a string gallery, all kinds of international instruments, and an American gallery. You are given player with numbers on it. When you put in the number, information is given about the display and you can listen to that instrument being played. The people at the desk were so knowledgeable and wanted to share their knowledge. We stayed two or three hours, and that was about as long as I felt I was absorbing everything I saw. The people of Vermilion and the college are so fortunate to have this museum. If you are at all interested in music, this will be a true highlight! We went on Friday afternoon which happened to be a day of free admittance, so we were doubly lucky. I'd certainly go out of my way to see this museum (and Vermilion is a great town!).

I was pleasantly surprised with this museum, not only does it have a phenomenal collection of historical and interesting musical instruments, but they also have iPod touches for everyone so you can listen to the history of the different instruments along with how they sound. I loved every minute and learned a lot. I highly recommend this museum. We drove over an hour out of our way to see it and it was well worth it.

The collection of rare, valuable and unique musical instruments is astonishing. One of the best collections in the world. Seriously.

I've been to the Louvre, Musee D'Orsey, museums throughout Europe, USA, etc... and this one ranks right up there with the best of the best!Do not pass on visiting and plan on 2-3 hours at a minimum! Breathtaking and jaw-dropping assortment of instruments including iPod and app to provide listening and viewing the actual instruments being played!

This outstanding museum is a must-see for anyone in the vicinity of Vermillion SD. Extensive, world class collections of guitars, keyboard instruments, brass and woodwind instruments by the Sax workshop, European strings (including extraordinary examples of Italian violinmaking from the 16th and 17th centuries). Among the rare keyboard instruments is perhaps the earliest known French fortepiano. Terrific displays of domestic American instruments shown in cultural context. Helpul audio guide and descriptive plaques make the museum accessible to all; you need not know anything about instruments to appreciate this treasure trove. At the same time, leading experts in the field are frequent visitors and consultants to this esteemed institution.

My daughter and son-in-law ARE musicians, and they kept telling me I just HAD to go to this museum. Well, I was on a trip where it was logical to stay somewhere in SE South Dakota, so I decided to stop in Vermillion and go see what all the excitement was about.I figured my friend and I would spend a few minutes here and the "obligation" to listen to my kids would be appeased. Still, when I stopped at the "meter" outside, I paid for 2 1/2 hours of parking. I was lucky NOT to get ticketed, because we couldn't leave that quickly. In fact, we completely lost track of time. Every instrument we learned about was amazing in its own right, but we found ourselves standing on opposite sides of rooms with our mouths hanging open and amazed looks on our faces. This is a WORLD CLASS museum, and such a delightful surprise to find in a town in the middle of the prairie. Don't miss it! The cost is $8.00 for seniors, but it is worth every penny.

My wife and I are amateur musicians and instrument collectors. We have visited this museum twice and will certainly go back again. There is so much to see here. It's amazing to see some of the rarities that are in the exhibit here. For a music nut, this is a mecca. I have a hunch there are a lot more instruments squirreled away that we'll never see!

My husband and I are both professional musicians and expected to breeze through this little museum in an hour or two. After four hours, we finally had to give up and go get something to eat. What a wonderful museum! The exhibits are very carefully and thoughtfully laid out, and the variety is mind-boggling. The highlight for us was the wonderful self-guided tour using ipods. We got to stand one foot from a Stradivarius and listen to audio of that same instrument being played. What an absolute treat! The ipod tour is one of the best I've ever encountered. And, where else in our great country can you see in person a full gamelan? Better yet, we happened to be there for the gamelan group's weekly rehearsal, and had the pleasure of sitting in on it! And, just down the hall, is one of the largest and most varied harmonica displays we've ever seen. It is our understanding that the museum is preparing for a major expansion. We plan not only to make a donation but we want to come back in a few years to see the changes. As a singer, I do hope that space will be dedicated to the vocal arts, both solo and choral. I would love to see displays about the history of vocal and choral music in the U.S., along with bios and samples from various soloists, choral groups, and choral conductors. A display on the history of sheet music publishing would be great, too. But, even without those additions, this is a wonderful museum and definitely worth the visit. If we lived nearby, we would certainly come often for the programs offered.

On October 4th, my wife and I decided to stop in, since we have driven past the signs on I-29 many times.When we finally found it, we went in. Thought the $10/person charge was a little high, but paid it anyway. The reason this only got a 4 rating was the lady running the desk. My wife asked where should we start, her reply was "Anywhere". We start wandering through the Concert Hall. Ok. Very quiet, instruments to see...lots of little information cards to read. Kind of underwhelming.Go into the room with all the guitars. Ok...interesting. Then my wife noticed a little card indicating there was an audio explanation. She went back to the desk and asked the lady at the counter. She said yes...and it is included in the price of admission. They were little iPods, and made what I thought was going to end up being a 15 minute visit into a 2 hour visit. I saw another couple about an hour later wandering through...looking under whelemd, and mentioned it to them. They too said it was not mentioned.I hope they train the help. This "gem" is well worth your time...and cost...if you get the audio tour.

Tucked away in Vermillion SD, this is a musical gem. The museum is loaded with a wide range of instruments - from historic violins and harpsichords to Japanese drums. Many of the items on display are representative pieces from well known artisans, providing a depth of understanding about the process of making music that is lacking in other collections. Excellent collections, nicely laid out. Check the schedule to see if you will be walking into school groups; it can get a little noisy, but is a fun way to hear kids react to music in their own special way. Worth taking the time to stop!!

We were on our way from Omaha to rapid city and decided to make a stop here. Well worth it! Fascinating museum on all types of instruments.

I've driven through South Dakota, but didn't stop. This time I did and was impressed. It is a smaller museum, but filled to the max with instruments. They have around 1,000 on display and 15,000 in their collection. Since I drove by on a Friday, admittance was free. They also have discounts. The front desk staff was really nice and they give you an ipod to use around the museum that gives you information about the instruments and a little sample of what it sounds like. They have extremely old pianos, funky/famous guitars, and usual/rare instruments just to give you an idea.

This beautiful and well maintained museum was a very pleasant surprise. The collection is exhaustive. THe violin, guitar, piano and organ sections especially were very well showcased, with many interesting exhibits. I was interested in the Indian, Asian and world sections also. The Indonesian instruments were unique. The staff was very helpful, too.

What a surprise to find such a fascinating little gem in eastern South Dakota. There are all kinds of musical instruments on display - some that were entirely new to me - including one of B.B. King's guitars and beautifully painted harpsichords from several centuries ago. The displays come to lilfe with the portable, audio listening sets which allow you to hear many of the instruments. If you're in the area and care about music, this is a must-see!

**The trip advisor website isn't allowing me to add pictures so you can see how wonderful this trip really was!** This museum has something for everyone! If you recognize names like: Elvis, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, B.B. King, Barbara Mandrell, & Shawn Colvin; then this is where you want to stop! Items on display are too numerous to list, however this trip is one worth taking. No matter what your favorite instrument is, chances are, you will find it here, or you will find it's original! We were assisted by Mickey, who has the museum memorized! To say he was full of information, is an understatement. He was very friendly, which is wonderful to see in today's world. We were also given a cell-phone information finder regarding the museum & its history! It was very easy to use. The cost to visit the museum was $10.00 per adult & free for students! As far as attractions go - this is an inexpensive one! The gift shop had lots to offer as far as books and other informational materials. We purchased a tee-shirt that my daughter loves, and a guitar magnet that my husband claims is his. We had fun! It was nicely air conditioned on the hot summer day that we went. We enjoyed this trip a lot. Please go. You'll be glad you did! :)