“URBAN MELODIES: MUSICAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF YEREVAN”

On May 17, 2025, the exhibition “URBAN MELODIES: MUSICAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF YEREVAN” was solemnly opened at the Yerevan History Museum. It was organized within the framework of the International Museum Day and “Museum Night” events, under this year’s theme: “The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities”.

The exhibition presents a multi-genre and multi-layered collection of musical instruments, shedding light not only on their historical and geographical origins, but also on their socio-cultural significance and function. The chronological scope, from the Middle Ages to the present day, emphasizes the continuity of instrument-making traditions and the transmission of musical heritage.

Also on display are photographs depicting musical life, posters, handwritten scores by Armenian composers, vinyl records, gramophones, radios, and more. A special place is given to the personal collection of musician and composer Ara Gevorgyan, including Djivan Gasparyan’s duduk with an inscription. For the first time, the museum is showcasing the bass qanun created by the great composer, which is the only one of its kind in the world among musical instruments.

The exhibition presents the musical life of Yerevan from ancient times to the present day, including jazz and rock.

Music, as a bearer of urban identity, evolves alongside the city, 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.

During the opening ceremony, students from the Alexander Spendiaryan and Sayat-Nova Music schools performed, enriching the exhibition with live music.

The exhibition is open until July 17, 2025.

Within the framework of International Museum Day and Museum Night, the Yerevan History Museum hosted 3,914 visitors.