The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), which will celebrate the history and diversity of musical instruments from regions around the world, broke ground on its 180,000-square-foot facility in Phoenix Arizona on February 6, 2008.

Scheduled to open in early 2010, the museum’s collection already boasts as many as 5,000 indigenous and popular instruments representing over 200 countries. Most of these are over 50 years old, have been used for folk or tribal occasions and range from handcrafted pieces of humble origin to exquisite heirlooms of royal courts.

Organized into nine regions, the galleries will feature permanent collections as well as special exhibits that will include performances of instruments on display and demonstrations of how they are made. A 300 seat performance auditorium will span both floors of the MIM and host concerts, seminars and films on world music. Utilizing the most technologically advanced wireless headsets and high resolution video screens, the MIM will enable guests to see and hear the instruments’ in their original settings.

With an estimated number of 250,000-500,000 visitors each year, the MIM will undoubtedly raise a greater awareness and appreciation for music across cultures, continents and ethnicities. Check out the museum’s website, www.themim.org, for further information.