Grammy Museum

The Grammy Awards, originally called the Gramophone Awards, have been presented by The Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the music industry since 1959. In addition to the four general awards for Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist, awards are given for the best albums and performances in a range of genres, plus there are awards for sound engineering, composition, producers, recording packaging, and album notes. Winners are voted on by members of The Recording Academy (formerly the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, or NARAS) and gramophone-shaped trophies are given out at an annual awards show which attracts the same media buzz as the Oscars or the Emmys.

Permanent exhibits include objects related to the development of recorded sound and music, an interactive look inside a recording studio, and an exhibition documenting the intersection of music and cultural revolution in America. There are also exhibits dedicated exclusively to the Grammys, featuring the history of the awards, the most iconic award show performances, the most iconic red carpet looks, and a special exhibit focusing on the Latin Grammys. There’s also a range of temporary exhibits, which cover individual musicians (such as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, or the Backstreet Boys), genres (such as Motown or Punk), or other subjects (like Rare Guitars, surfer culture, or prison concerts).

The GRAMMY Museum isn’t particularly designed with very young children in mind, so bear that in mind before visiting. Kids aged 8 and up will definitely enjoy the interactive exhibits, especially Roland Live, where they can try instruments and pretend to be in a band. Teenagers might also find the mix of pop culture and music history interesting. The museum is stroller friendly throughout.

It takes between one and two hours to visit the GRAMMY Museum, though you can spend as much time as you like in the exhibitions or listening to the hundreds of tracks available in the Crossroads exhibit. Dedicated fans might want to spend up to 3 hours inside.