There’s no wonder why you get to have a fantastic tour of the history and style of Iranian music in the city of culture and music, Isfahan. Isfahan Music Museum tells you about the story of Persian music and more than 300 traditional musical instruments specific to Iran and Iranian culture. To have a new and different experience of visiting a museum, you need to go to Mehrdad Street, no more than a street away from Vank Cathedral, and enjoy this privately-run museum. The museum has two main halls for local musical instruments and national musical instruments.
What amuses almost all the visitors of this museum is the various types of instruments that might be the ancestors to the instruments we all know today in our contemporary life. Imagine you step into a section that includes all the percussion instruments of Iran’s history and you’d be shocked when you know the number of types of these instruments. Centuries ago, notes were distinctively played with the use of different animal skins on drums in different tribes. You see “Kamancheh” and you’d contemplate the reality of that being the ancestor to violin or if it happens in the same way for “Tar” and guitar. One authentic experience that you get to have is that in some cases you get to play the instruments.
It is wonderful how all these instruments had a particular role in the life of ancient Persians and here in this museum you get to hear their voice when they tell about their stories. While visiting the museum you get to have a guide from whom you can ask whatever questions that are raised in your mind and then the guide invites you to experience the climax of your visit: Breathe in the ancient Persia through the sound of traditional music performed in an intimate performance. Sometimes the performers are the expert owners of the museum, Mehrdad Jeihooni and Shahriar Shokrani. There’s also a café in this complex where you can drink a cup of tea or coffee and listen to the performances of folk musicians.