Sun City AZ

We stopped here on our way back to Indio, CA to visit with Al & Doris good friends we met years ago when we were just starting out. We stayed at the Paradise RV Park in Sun City. It is an Encore park well laid out and really very nice. Al came over and helped Dick get the connection from the motorhome and our car wired correctly so now we have lights when we tow.

We joined Al & Doris for a concert in the park and a picnic. The Navy Band Sea Chanters is the US Navy Band’s official chorus. They performed a variety of music ranging from traditional choral music, including sea chanteys and patriotic music to opera, Broadway, and contemporary music. 

Doris and I.

When the sun went down it turned cool I was glad I grabbed the blanket from the car.

It was one of the best concerts we have been to.

The next day we drove over to their home and Doris fixed a great lunch and then off we went to the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. The museum was founded by Robert Ulrich former CEO and Chairman of the Target Corporation. The collection includes over 15,000 instruments from nearly 200 countries and territory's and the largest museum of its type in the world.

The Teak sandstone on the exterior was imported from India.

We entered not knowing what to expect, we picked up wireless headsets and a map and were told that there would be a demonstration of the the Decap Organ in the Mechanical Music Gallery which features instruments that play on their own.

When you walked up to a display or a monitor your headset would come on and you would hear an explanation of what you were viewing or the music from the instrument. Where it came from or how it was made.

They have a Conservation Lab and you can watch them work on instruments that are being restored.

The Artists Gallery featured instruments, video concert footage, photographs, performance outfits, and other items linked to world renowned musicians and music innovators. Each small area or stage would have a song from the artist or a video of the concert.

Also on the ground level they have the Experience Gallery the most unique gallery I have seen. You can actually play what ever instrument that is here.

Al trying out this instrument

And we all had fun with this one.

Doris with her turn

I had fun on this one.

Dick with his friend.

They had guitars, ukuleles and other instruments that you could play.

The upper level housed the Geographical Galleries, musical instruments and music from all the countries in the world. The videos were of musicians playing songs from that country and in some cases using the instruments that came from that country. 

Ireland.

England.

The last gallery was titled Special Displays highlighting iconic American manufacturers. Martin Trumpets.

Steinway & Sons, D’Addario & Co and of course Fender Musical Instruments.

We did not have the time to stop and look at everything and listen to all of the videos so another trip to the Musical Instrument Museum will have to be planned when we are again in the neighborhood.