Liberty science center presents a unique exhibit devoted to the art, science, and mystery of the guitar
by Jessica Jones-Gorman
Frequent visitors to the Liberty Science Center in Liberty State Park might have passed blithely by recent upcoming exhibit posters thinking they were in celebration of new 3-D DNA modeling or the latest breakthrough in nano-robotics.
Look closer, science fans, because this show rocks.
A traveling exhibition in tribute to the playable icon of rock history—the guitar—is now available for music lovers in Jersey City and beyond. Guitar: The Instrument that Rocked the World, will be on display from now until January, and promises, according to Liberty Science Center CEO Paul Hoffman, “…to deliver experiences that spark creativity and ignite imaginations. For hundreds of years, the guitar has done just that, and we’re thrilled to offer our guests the opportunity to explore the history of this iconic instrument while learning the science behind its powerful sound.”
The hands-on exhibition, which opened in October, spans two galleries and explores the instrument’s history in popular culture over the past 400 years, while the art and science of creating sound with wood and steel is also investigated. More than 60 instruments are on display, ranging from the rare and antique to the wildly popular and innovative—along with hands-on installations, models, touchscreens, performance video, audio, images, and photos.
A movable feast presented by the National GUITAR Museum, the show’s immersive cool factor attracts guests from all age ranges.
Iconic instruments featured in the exhibition include the world’s largest playable guitar certified by Guinness World Records—a 2,255-pound, 16-foot wide, 43-foot-long Gibson. There’s also the Rock Ock, the world’s only playable 8-neck stringed guitar; a stunning PRS Dragon model inlaid with 238 pieces of gold, red and green abalone, mother of pearl, and the ivory of a woolly mammoth; a Ztar Z7S synthesizer guitar with a button for every fret and string (204 in total); and early Fender, Gibson, Ovation, and Martin examples dating as far back as 1835.
To complement the displays, an entire gallery of interactive exhibits invites guests to design their own guitar by selecting colors, patterns, shapes and textures in a multimedia activity.
They can also test musical memories by playing riffs on a virtual fret board and experiment with different materials used to construct guitars to hear the differences in sound.
Free live performances by rock, jazz, blues, classical, and “kindie” bands are scheduled throughout the exhibition’s run. When not in use by the music series, the exhibition stage will be outfitted with a variety of instruments allowing guests of all ages to play—surrounded by the iconic guitars featured in the exhibition.
Liberty Science Center
Liberty State Park
222 Jersey City Blvd., Jersey City
201.200.1000 / lsc.org