This summer, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will host “Musical Bodies,” a new free exhibition of more than 130 objects curated to explore the connections and history between musical instruments and the human body.
To open on June 7, 2026, this exhibition is the first of its kind at The Met. Around 130 instruments, paintings, sculptures, drawings, and other artifacts will be featured across six thematic sections to tell the story of how we have expressed who we are, what we value, and what we believe throughout history to the present day.
With works from The Met collection and institutions and collectors around the world, the exhibition ultimately covers 4,000 years of art and music history, from ancient Egyptian rattles and musical masterpieces by Titian and Degas to instrument-inspired apparel and one of Prince’s most notable guitars.
“Musical Bodies” is open to visitors of all ages and all members of the public, regardless of musical background, and will run with free admission from June 7 to September 27, 2026, at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 199.
This exhibition is supported by Barbara Tober, the Diane W. and James E. Burke Fund, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, and the Gail and Parker Gilbert Fund.
“Musical instruments, which represent an important part of the Met’s collection, have long been recognized and celebrated as dynamic tools for creative expression, and also as works of art in their own right,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s Director and CEO. “This multisensory exhibition is the first to explore — through remarkable instruments, objects, and works of art — the fascinating ways in which sound, musical objects, and the human form have been in conversation for millennia. Including outstanding instruments, powerful performances and immersive in-gallery experiences, Musical Bodies is a show that will resonate, fascinate and inspire.”
“Musical Bodies first formed in my mind as a deceptively simple question: Why are so many instruments shaped and decorated like the human body?” added Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, Curator in the Department of Musical Instruments at The Met. “The quest for an answer has become an exploration of humanity through the lens of instruments and music. We find ourselves represented in these instruments because, for much of our history, music has been central to who we are and what we do. I hope this exhibition will reconnect all of us with our innate musicality and shared heritage of harmony.”