American Banjo Museum

Founded in 1998, the American Banjo Museum is home to more than 300 instruments and is the largest collection on public display in the world.

This 21,000-square-foot facility contains banjos, recordings, film, video, printed music, instructional materials, ephemera and memorabilia associated with the history and development of this American instrument spanning from the early development by African slaves during the 1600s to post World War II instruments—used in bluegrass and folk music. The primary museum collection consists of banjos made in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s.

A popular brand of banjo used in bluegrass music is the Gibson. The museum features an entire gallery of banjos, on the first floor; that highlights the history and progression of the Gibson brand. The Gibson collection includes an extremely rare, pre-war Gibson five-string banjo valued at more than $175,000. Then, in the second floor gallery you’ll find a collection of more than 200 four-string banjos from the Jazz Era of banjo music—all in mint condition. Each banjo’s unique sound and design is a work of art playing holding its place harmoniously in this vast collection. The museum preservation pays tribute to the dedicated craftsmanship and care taken to create each banjo.

Stop by the American Banjo Museum Store where they offer a variety of apparel, books, banjos and other souvenirs to remember your visit. Then, head over to the Museum Café for a bakery treat and other refreshments. Finally, visit the museum on Saturday to enjoy live banjo performances from 3 – 5 p.m., in the Shakey Pizza parlor.

HelloMetro Tip: The American Banjo Museum is located in Bricktown, downtown Oklahoma City within walking distance from some other great attractions including the Red Earth Museum, the Myriad Botanical Gardens and the Bricktown Water Taxi.

- by Jennifer Pruett, Oklahoma City Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Jennifer Pruett

A self proclaimed “queen of everything," Jennifer is a writer, planner and passionate lover of making exciting events extra special. As a creative mother of two she loves art, music, family, friends, exotic cuisine and exploring new areas of self improvement. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies from the University of Oklahoma and has been writing restaurant and attraction reviews in the Phoenix Metro area since January, 2009.