Exhibition URBAN MELODIES. THE MUSICAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF YEREVAN

As part of the International Museum Day and Museum Night program, a new exhibition will open at the Yerevan City History Museum under the theme “The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities,” featuring a multi-genre collection of musical instruments, highlighting both the historical and geographical origins of the instruments and their socio-cultural function. Chronologically, it spans from the Middle Ages to the present day, emphasizing the continuity of instrument-making traditions and the hereditary transmission of art.

The exhibition highlights a variety of musical instruments. Stringed instruments (tar, kamancha, kanun), wind instruments (duduk, shvi, zurna, trombone), percussion instruments (dap, sizzle), bows, keyboard instruments (piano), and handcrafted author’s works are among the many musical instruments featured in the exhibition. Every instrument exhibits a distinct sound profile that is influenced by the location, the experiences of the people, the natural materials, and the craftsmen’s creative and spiritual preferences.

This collection is more than a display of physical objects—it is a repository of memories and stories.
Photographs of musical ensembles, concert posters, sheet music, author manuscripts, and biographical fragments weave together personal narratives into a broader national cultural image.

Music, as a reflection of urban identity, evolves alongside the city—shaped by its people, its environment, and historical transformations.
This exhibition seeks to revive the sound of Armenia’s national instruments—a sonic heritage born centuries ago, transmitted across generations, and still resonating in our collective identity today.

Opening: May 17 at 9:00 PM

The evening will feature a concert performance by students from the Al. Spendiaryan Music School and the Sayat Nova Music School.