I recently made trips to Germany, France, and twice to England, where I was able to see many fine musical instrument collections. In England I was able to see the early instrument collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal College of Music, and the Fenton House. I also saw, and took pictures of, several large and small pipe organs in several historic churches in London and East Anglia. In Germany I saw a unique collection of instruments spanning over 700 years of musical history, from Medieval religious and secular instruments to synthesizers.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is a huge castle-like edifice that houses one of the most eclectic collections of art, artifacts, architecture, and fakes. The musical instrument collection is huge but only around 10 to 15% is displayed at any one time. Usually those displayed are by well-known builders. Fortunately, a lot of the collection is catalogued in a book available through the museum gift shop and at book stores.

The musical instrument collection is one room where you are allowed to take photographs. Some that I took are included here. Other pictures are scanned from postcards and slides I purchased.

Keyboard Instruments | String Instruments | Woodwinds