Oklahoma City - American Banjo Museum

Day 2 of my ship's reunion. Our first stop was at the American Banjo Museum in the Bricktown district. Wow, over 1,000 banjos on display from the mid 1800's to modern day banjos.

Some of the old banjo players.

The most historically significant banjo in this collection:

an 1845 Wm Boucher (the first commercial maker of banjos).

 The first of many display cases.

The banjo on the lower left side has the most detailed sides.

Then there are some beautifully inlaid backs.

Susan pretending to play a 1929 bass banjo.

  A triangular banjo?

A wood-topped banjo.

A steel-topped banjo.

A Dale Small Carousel banjo. Talk about detail!

 You've probably seen a Player-Piano. How about a Player-Banjo?

And, of course, there were lots of banjo ukes (banjoleles) on display.

There was also the Hall of Fame for banjo players.

 Pete Seeger had an interesting statement on his banjos:

"This Machine Surrounds Hate and Forces it to Surrender"

Earl Scruggs' banjos and Hall of Fame trophy.

A large display of Roy Clark's stuff.

Another banjo being restored for the museum.