Museo Interactivo de la Música (Interactive Museum of Music), Malaga

The Interactive Museum of Music (Museo Interactivo de la Musica - MIMMA) is the repository of the collection of musical instruments by Miguel Angel Piedrola Orta. It is the largest private collection of musical instruments in Europe. Having opened its doors in 2002, the museum has recently been relocated to Palacio Conde de las Navas, Calle Beatas, 15.

The latest technology is used to disseminate sound and the design of the museum allows sound to stimulate the senses. Visitors can interact with exhibits through playing instruments, graphic systems, panels, audio inputs, interactive stations, and multimedia spaces. The museum has nine rooms with themes reflecting the different aspects of music, its origins, history, the science of music, its relationship with the brain and its cultural diversity. There is a room devoted to flamenco, the music of Andalusia, and sections for the types of musical instruments, the evolution of recorded music and music in radio and film.

The collection includes a range of musical instruments and music memorabilia from countries around the world. There are 400 instruments displayed at a given time but the museum owns over a thousand instruments. It has many interactive exhibits that adults will find interesting. Children will find the MIMMA fascinating because they are encouraged to touch the exhibits and play all the displayed instruments.

Why You Should Visit:
Provides a really nice overview of different instruments, including from around the world, without being overwhelming or requiring a lot of time.
There are interactive screens (4 languages), which tell you some information about the instruments and let you listen to the sounds they can make.
On the top floor are toilets and an outside roof terrace with a few tables and seating and a vending machine for drinks.
There is also a small gift shop selling a range of music-themed souvenirs.

Tip:
The rooms in the museum are divided by color: black, white, and red. The red ones are those where you can take musical instruments and try your best to follow the instructional videos on the screen or just do your best improv. If you can actually play the instrument, be assured that everybody around you will be properly awed.