The Royal Academy of Music Museum located at York Gate in London is a museum containing the musical artefacts and historic instruments of the Royal Academy of Music. The Royal Academy of Music is one of Englands foremost music conservatoires with its inception dating back to 1822 and has many illustrious alumni such as Sir John Barbirolli and Dennis Brain. The conservatoire was relocated to its present location at the York Gate building which was designed by John Nash as part of the entryway to Regents Park. Therefore although the interior of the building was damaged due to extensive bombing in the 1940s, the buildings exterior has been recognised for having historical importance.
The museum which is free of charge and is open all days of the week boasts of reputed collections such as the McCann Collection which is an assimilation of master copies of concert programmes and titles. The museums artefacts and instruments are routinely shown to the public via the many exhibitions the museum holds such as the Liszt and Chopin exhibition which showcases the evolution of the piano and the impact these great musicians have had on piano culture.
Another highlight of the numerous exhibitions displayed is the Cremonese Strings which is a permanent exhibition shown in the Strings Gallery of the museum and contains instruments by Stradivari, Amati, Guarneri and Rugeri to name a few. Enthusiasts can also access APOLLO which is an online catalogue detailing the vast collection owned by the institution. The collection also contains famous pieces such as the Viotti ex-Bruce violin of 1709 amongst more than 250 other stringed instruments.
In addition, the museum has original manuscripts by Purcell, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Sullivan and Vaughan Williams in its repertoire. Modern artefacts include the Alexander horn played by the late Dennis Brain. Visitors can go on guided tours and obtain information leaflets. The museum also has access for the differently-abled.
Travellers visiting the Royal Academy of Music Museum could stay in any one of the
Oxford Street Hotels, such as The Langham London. This is a luxury family hotel ideal for families as well as business travellers on a
London weekend break. It comprises inviting accommodation ranging from the stylish classic family rooms to the luxurious club studio suites.
