History
Morris Steinert presented Yale with his collection consisting chiefly of keyboard instruments in 1900; since then, the Collection has grown steadily through the donations of alumni and patrons of the arts. The acquisition of the Belle Skinner Collection in 1960 and the Emil Herrmann Collection in 1962 established the Collection as one of the world's most important repositories of musical instruments. In 1961, the Collection moved from its original location under the dome of Woolsey Hall to its present location at 15 Hillhouse Avenue. Since 1970, the Collection has nearly tripled in size to include nearly one thousand instruments, the majority documenting the history of Western art music.
Specialties
Located on scenic Hillhouse Avenue, the Yale Collection of Musical instruments is home to an extensive collection of rare, unique, and valuable instruments. In addition to preserving and restoring the instruments, the Collection serves as a valuable educational resource for musical life at Yale. The museum has regular public visiting hours, and features an annual concert series as well as lectures and demonstrations. Today, the Collection is comprised of nearly one thousand instruments, from ancient to present-day.