Museum tunes into 12,000 musical instruments

The Musical Instrument Museum looks forward to showing off its collection when it opens in Phoenix at the end of April. With more than 12,000 instruments from around the globe, the $150 million, 190,000-sf building spans two floors that feature light-filled galleries, a classroom, a garden courtyard, a performance hall, a recording studio, a restaurant, café, and a store. Richard Varda, FAIA, and the Tempe, Ariz., office of RSP Architects crafted the Indian limestone façade to blend with the colors of the surrounding desert.