The National Guitar Museum (NGM) is a museum dedicated to the
guitar's history, evolution, and cultural impact; and to promoting and preserving the guitar's legacy. The NGM addresses the history of the guitar as it has evolved from ancient
stringed instruments to the wide variety of instruments created over the past 200 years. It focuses on the guitar's inventors, innovators, and influential players, along with the science and technology behind the guitar's construction, shape, and sound.
The NGM does not have a permanent location, but rather exhibits its collection in a touring format.
Overview
The museum was founded by author and former Guitar magazine editor-in-chief
HP Newquist, who serves as its executive director. It is the first museum to focus solely on all aspects of the guitar and to include instruments from most of the world's stringed instrument manufacturers. The NGM's collection focuses on representative instruments from a vast array of historical makers and modern
luthiers.
In 2011, the NGM collection began touring the United States in a variety of exhibitions.
In 2012, it was announced that at the completion of its exhibition tours, one U.S. city was expected to be chosen as the permanent home of the National Guitar Museum.[3] As of 2023, a permanent home for the NGM has still not been chosen.
Touring exhibitions
"GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked The World"
In February 2011, the NGM launched its first touring
exhibit, entitled "GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked The World," which began with previews outside
New York City.[4] The national rollout was in
Orlando,
Florida, on June 11, 2011. The exhibit traveled to sites across the
United States from 2011 to 2022.[5][6][7]
"America At The Crossroads: The GUITAR And A Changing Nation"
"America At The Crossroads: The GUITAR And A Changing Nation" is an NGM exhibition focused on U.S. history. It uses the guitar as emblematic, and representative , of pivotal national events. It debuted in January 2023 at the
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum in Grand Rapids, MI.
Lifetime achievement award
The NGM presents an annual "Lifetime Achievement Award" to a guitarist who has been instrumental to the legacy of the guitar.[11] The recipients to date have been:
2013:
Vic Flick, the session guitarist who played on thousands of early
British Invasion songs, known for performing the original
James Bond theme song.
2014:
Buddy Guy, pioneering Chicago electric blues guitarist.
2015:
Tony Iommi, guitarist and founder of
Black Sabbath, acknowledged as the creator of heavy metal.
2016:
Glen Campbell, singer-performer and notable session guitarist, his TV show helped popularize the acoustic-electric guitar.
2017:
Bonnie Raitt, blues guitarist and singer, one of the electric guitar's foremost slide players.
2018:
José Feliciano, multi-genre guitarist and internationally renowned performer.