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Michael Winters
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History of Guitars in America Comes to Bradenton
Traveling Exhibit explores American culture and the historical importance of the Guitar.
Bradenton, FL – January 22, 2025—The National GUITAR Museum—the first museum in the United States dedicated to the history, evolution, and cultural impact of the guitar—today announced its Touring Exhibition, America At The Crossroads: The GUITAR And A Changing Nation, which will be hosted by The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature through May 18, 2025.
The guitar is one of the most enduring icons in American history. The story of The Crossroads is one of America’s most enduring myths and a metaphor for the nation’s ongoing cultural upheaval. America At The Crossroads: The GUITAR And A Changing Nation looks at American history through its most popular instrument—the guitar.
“We’re so excited to have this exhibit from The National GUITAR Museum in Bradenton. Surely, no object made a more significant impact on the second half of the 20th century than the invention of the electric guitar,” stated Andrew Sandall, Chief Executive Officer of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, “and this exhibit does a fantastic job of placing guitars in their historical context, showing us how every era of American social history came with its own soundtrack.”
“Guitar enthusiasts like myself will find some real rarities and oddballs in the guitars on display to gaze in wonder at.” Sandall continued, “Still, there’s so much here for everyone to enjoy and to learn about how crucial the evolution of the guitar was to a growing nation looking to music as an escape. It’s a social commentary on the changing times people were going through, creating a raucous cacophony and giving them the opportunity to go wild at a show!”
Using 40 instruments—from the vihuela of the 1500s to a modern steampunk guitar—America At The Crossroads provides insight into significant periods in American history: European colonialism, the Great Migration, opening up of the West, the introduction of electricity across the nation, the Cold War, teenage rebellion, the rise of videogames. Its effect is very much part of our daily lives: at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, more guitars were sold in America than ever before.
“The guitar is the most enduring icon in American history,” according to HP Newquist, the executive director and founder of the Museum. “It has been around longer than baseball, basketball, soft drinks, and sports cars. This Exhibition is a celebration of all that and more.” Adds Newquist, “It’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t been affected by the guitar, whether as players or as fans of music ranging from country and folk to jazz and rock. And it may be apocryphal, but it’s said that the two most recognizable man-made shapes on the planet are the Coke bottle and the electric guitar.”
Developed by The National GUITAR Museum, which has created enormously popular touring exhibits for the science and art communities, America At The Crossroads: The GUITAR And A Changing Nation is designed specifically for venues presenting history to their guests.
While at The Bishop, the exhibition is generously sponsored by the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature is the largest natural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. In addition to permanent exhibitions, the Museum features a constantly changing lineup of special exhibitions. The Museum is also home to the all-digital Planetarium, the Parker Manatee Rehabilitation Habitat, and the Mosaic Backyard Universe. As stewards of science and nature, the Bishop inspires curiosity, builds connections, and creates impactful experiences.
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