Musical Instrument Museum Self-Guided Tour: Phoenix

Hear music from every corner of the world, then make your own

The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix is a self-guided tour with a wireless audio guide and headset, letting you move through more than 4,200 instruments on display at your own pace. The museum spans exhibits on global music and cultures, an Artist Gallery with instruments played by Prince, Madonna, Johnny Cash and others, and an Experience Gallery where you play. Parking is free. The visit runs three to four hours. Strollers, wheelchairs and service animals are welcome. Special exhibitions are ticketed separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Musical Instrument Museum

• Check in at Guest Service desk
• Receive headset and guidePORT
• Explore global musical exhibits
• Visit Artist Gallery
• Play instruments in Experience Gallery
• Dine at Café Allegro
• Shop at Museum Store

The experience

The Musical Instrument Museum sits in Phoenix as a one-of-a-kind collection: over 4,200 instruments from every country, arranged by culture and region instead of chronology or genre. You check in at Guest Service, receive a wireless headset and a guidePORT audio device, and then move through the galleries at whatever pace suits you. The audio guide plays as you stand in front of each instrument, so you hear context and music samples without a group moving around you or a fixed schedule pushing you forward.

The Artist Gallery is where the collection gets personal: instruments played by Prince, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Johnny Cash, Roberta Flack, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Glen Campbell sit behind glass with their own audio tracks. You linger or move on. The Experience Gallery at the end flips the model: you pick up instruments and play them yourself, so the museum stops being something you watch and becomes something you do. Café Allegro serves global food if you want to eat inside, and the Museum Store carries music-inspired gifts and recordings.

Parking is free. Wheelchairs, scooters, walkers and strollers are all welcome, and every area is accessible. Food and drink stay outside the galleries themselves, and bags larger than 18 inches must be checked. The audio guide is in English. If special exhibitions are running, those tickets are sold separately at the desk.

What’s included

• Wireless headset and audio guide (guidePORT) in English.
• access to all galleries including the Artist Gallery and Experience Gallery where you play instruments.
• free parking.
• Café Allegro on-site for food and drinks.

Information

Lasts 3h–4h, runs every day with no fixed time, from US$ 24 per person and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

AgesAdult (20 and older) · Youth (13 to 19 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Musical Instrument Museum

Is this one for you?The audio guide in English means you follow at your own pace without needing to keep up with a group or a guide's schedule: ideal if you want to linger with certain instruments or move quickly through others, or if you're visiting with children who need flexibility.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 19 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

How long does it take to get through the Musical Instrument Museum?

Most visitors spend three to four hours moving through the galleries and the Experience Gallery. You set the pace with the audio guide, so you can move faster through sections that don't hold you or spend longer with instruments that catch your ear.

What's in the Artist Gallery at the Musical Instrument Museum?

The Artist Gallery displays instruments played by well-known musicians: Prince, Elvis Presley, Madonna, Johnny Cash, Roberta Flack, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Glen Campbell among them. Each instrument has its own audio commentary and music samples tied to the artist who played it.

Can I actually play instruments at the Musical Instrument Museum?

Yes. The Experience Gallery at the end of the tour lets you pick up and play a selection of instruments yourself, so you move from listening and learning to making music.

Is the Musical Instrument Museum wheelchair accessible?

The museum is fully wheelchair accessible. All areas and surfaces are accessible, and wheelchairs, scooters and walkers are welcome. Strollers are also allowed for infants and small children. Parking is free.

What does the audio guide include?

Your admission includes a wireless headset and a guidePORT audio device that plays commentary and music samples as you move through each gallery. The audio guide is in English and lets you move at your own pace without a group or fixed schedule.

Can I bring food and drinks into the museum?

Food and drink are not allowed inside the galleries, but Café Allegro on-site serves global cuisine if you want to eat during your visit. Bags larger than 18 inches must be checked at Guest Service.