A View from the Outside

Museums convey knowledge while also offering sensory experiences and a vessel for shared memory. They often tell stories that unfold in the museum space, inviting visitors to explore these spaces. This is what makes museum exhibitions so special and fascinating. As a musicologist, I am particularly interested in music exhibitions.

In 2015, I set up a larger research project at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany. Funded by the German Research Foundation, the project examined how musical topics are presented in museum exhibitions. My team and I visited music museums across Europe, conducted detailed analyses of each one, and spoke with curators and visitors. This resulted in insightful documentation that eventually led to the publication of a book. When I retired two years ago, I asked myself whether it might be a good idea to look beyond the European horizon and see how music exhibitions are established in other regions of the world.

In my research, I came across the website of the Indian Music Experience (IME) Museum and was immediately impressed with the presented information. Drawing on my observations in Germany and other European countries, I decided to travel to Bengaluru to explore this museum in depth and gain a firsthand understanding of its exhibitions. I was received very warmly and was allowed to move freely throughout the building. This was a great help, and I thus wish to express my sincere thanks to the entire IME team.

The exhibition is divided into different ‘galleries’, each of which is devoted to a particular topic. In the first gallery, somewhat surprisingly to me, the focus is on contemporary pop music and hybrid musical forms that emerged in the 20th century. The gallery is designed in a scenic, immersive way that provides an immediate emotional entry into the exhibition. On the wall, there is an image of Commercial Street in Bengaluru, while two rickshaw taxis stand in the middle of the room. A mixture of various sounds is blended with street noises, conveying the bustling urban life.

Moving into the next gallery, which focuses on Indian classical music, visitors pass through a gateway that looks as if it were made of marble. They walk past banners that resemble columns and that are printed with Vedic verses. Instead of the sounds of the hectic city, calm, meditative chants are heard that give the feeling of having left the busy street and entered a temple – a sacred space. The section on Indian classical music as a whole contains many interactive, playful elements, but it also addresses more demanding topics, such as the functioning of the raga and tala systems as well as different types of compositional forms.

At this point, comparisons with European museums come to mind. While European music exhibitions also present more than merely light, entertaining topics, music-theoretical questions are usually avoided. At the IME, the presentation of these topics flows naturally among the more playful elements.

Another gallery is entitled ‘Songs of the People’ and is devoted to traditional musical forms beyond classical music. Here, the focus is on diverse regional music and dance forms as well as on the social contexts in which these forms are embedded. Clearly, the museum aims to contribute to the protection and preservation of this cultural diversity. However, the highlight of the exhibition is yet to come: On a large wall, the museum presents an overwhelming number of musical instruments from all regions of the country. The range extends from the well-known instruments of classical music to highly regional exhibits of folk musical expression and even to modern electric instruments. Visitors can view these artifacts individually – simply for their aesthetic appeal – or they can make comparisons and marvel at the variety and distinctiveness of the items on display. 

In addition, the presentation is complemented by a media station that provides high-quality video films on almost all instruments, with the films offering extensive information on the instruments’ sound and playing techniques. I could easily spend an entire day in this gallery alone

In the following room, the exhibition takes a political turn, focusing on the national significance of music and on the ways in which music accompanies political events and developments. The Indian national flag stretches across the ceiling, while the text of the national anthem is displayed in large letters on one wall. In addition, Jawaharlal Nehru’s 1947 Speech to the Constituent Assembly of India plays in the room on an endless loop. To me, this arrangement feels highly ceremonial and seems connected to India’s colonial history and the country’s arduous, lengthy struggle against colonial oppression. The information on the text panels and various media stations maintains a rather factual tone while additionally addressing artists who – through their music – have critically engaged with social conditions in India since independence. Another gallery is devoted to Indian film music. Here, a scenic presentation has again been chosen, with a large cinema hall at the centre showing a documentary on the development of Indian film and its accompanying music. Panels and media stations are arranged along the walls, continuing the concept of combining playful elements with the conveyance of cultural and historical knowledge. What plays only a minor role, however, is the international significance of Indian film. Bollywood productions are popular in many countries, and Indian film music often provides an attractive alternative to Western pop music, particularly in Southeast Asia, West Asia, and various African regions. In this context, I also noticed that the exhibition devotes little space to the music of the Indian diaspora. In the era of deep globalisation, the significance of Indian music is not confined to national borders. This is therefore one area in which the displays could be improved.

The exhibition continues beyond this point, but I would like to end on a high note and finally turn my attention to the museum’s visitors. During my stay, I was able to speak with many visitors and also to observe how they engaged with the exhibition. To my surprise, the audience consisted predominantly of young people. Many young families and small groups of friends came together for a museum visit, and almost without exception, they were enthusiastic about the exhibition. The museum should be very proud of this, and here, another difference to European museum culture becomes apparent: In Europe, young people tend to avoid exhibitions with a cultural-historical focus. There is, however, one parallel: Just as I have observed in many European museums, many visitors to the IME tended to go directly to the various media stations and largely ignored the other displays. This is a pity, and I believe it is worth reflecting on how these habits might be adjusted to some extent. One possibility could be to introduce interactive opportunities beyond electronics. In particular, I can imagine allowing visitors to play musical instruments themselves. It must be an amazing experience to try out a South Indian ghatam and hear how it sounds when struck or to discover the variety of sounds that can be produced on a tabla drum set depending on the playing technique. Perhaps such hands-on experiences would also encourage visitors to read the explanatory panels.

As we can see, even for such an outstanding institution as the Indian Music Experience Museum, there are still many possibilities for innovation. Indeed, museums are not only places where culture is presented; rather, they themselves should always be considered part of culture and thus also as subject to dynamic developments.