The Friedlaender, Walde-Waldegg, Cypress Street, and Commercial Museum collections at the Temple Anthropology Museum showcase musical instruments from across geographical and cultural contexts. Each of these items can tell us something about the cultures that created them. Many of these instruments were used for ritual and entertainment purposes, and are indicative of cultural practices of their respective origins. The function and cultural significance of these musical instruments are derived from both their material and form, which reflect resources and culture of the society that created them.

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Click on our different pages to explore the musical instruments of each collection!