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The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Keyboard Collection

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is home to some of the oldest and also the most outrageously decadent keyboard instruments in history. A Ruckers virginal from 1581, an original instrument by the man who invented the piano (Bartolomeo Cristofori), are the highlights for historical keyboard nerds like me. But I'm sure anyone can appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship that has gone into the decoration of some of the instruments here. Truly magnificent—absolutely mind-boggling!

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There's also an interesting piano at MOMA:

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