Susan Marquez
American Banjo Museum Oklahoma City, OK
The American Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is dedicated to the instrument’s history that epitomizes American music. The 21,000 square foot museum documents the rise of the banjo from its arrival in North America via the Atlantic slave trade to modern times. Brady Hunt and Jack Canine founded the Museum as a non-profit organization in 1998. First located in Guthrie, Oklahoma, the Museum moved to Oklahoma City in 2009. Visitors can now experience a world-class museum dedicated to celebrating the music and heritage of the banjo. Over 400 instruments are on display, many dating back hundreds of years, making it the most extensive collection of banjos on display in the world. 12
“It was once called The National Four String Banjo Hall of Fame Museum,” says Rachel Reichert, who is the Museum’s director of events. Rachel explains that the Museum was founded primarily by and for enthusiasts of the four-string banjo. Much as the banjo has evolved over the years, the Museum has grown as well. With the banjo taking on many forms and styles, the present name for the Museum is more appropriate. “Now we call it the American Banjo Museum. It is amazing to see the many banjos on display in the Museum and to learn that although they are similar, they can also be quite different.” The Museum’s instrument collection represents every era of the banjo evolution, from primitive homemade instruments to modern banjos. Also preserved
are Banjo-related publications, periodicals, photographs, and personal memorabilia for future banjo enthusiasts. The collection contains many rare and one-ofa-kind items and a collection of songbooks and sheet music, with some publications dating back to the 1800s. In addition to banjos, thousands of audio and video recordings of banjo performances are on display, ranging from the earliest days of sound recordings to the present day, with all playing styles represented. “While bluegrass is certainly a very important part of the collection, we have all styles of banjo playing represented, including Dixieland jazz,” says Rachel. “We hold a big Mardi Gras event each year to celebrate that.” Other events are held at the Museum throughout the year,
