About the Exhibit

"SHAPE SHIFTING: The GUITAR As Modern Artifact" presents 40 instruments that embody the art of the guitar, displaying it as both an instrument and as a physical canvas for artists and builders.

"SHAPE SHIFTING: The GUITAR As Modern ARTifact" is a Touring Exhibition of The National GUITAR Museum.

Exhibit highlights

• The guitar is the single most enduring icon in American history. There are more guitars made every year than all other instruments combined. In the 1950s, the unveiling of the electric guitar immediately changed world culture. It transformed music and changed the ways in which we visualize how music is made and performed. Today, the creation of new guitar designs can be as much about art and appearance as it is about sound and music.

• This exhibit covers many different artifacts that include the origin of the guitar, close relatives, American perspectives, the introduction of electricity to the guitar, and unique as well as outrageous designs all the way to modern times.

• Designed to appeal to a wide variety of visitors, from art aficionados and historians to music lovers and fans of popular culture, "SHAPE SHIFTING" has something for museum goers of all ages and interests. The exhibition is an entertaining, educational and engaging experience with one of the most recognizable objects on the planet.

January 31 - April 26, 2026

Location: Museum, 3^rd Floor