Toys

For many, toy musical instruments are an introduction to the joy of making noise, perhaps inspiring a lifelong pursuit of music making or devoted fandom. Within the category of manufactured toys, they could be inexpensive and simple, or quite extravagant. Sometimes they commemorated or celebrated current events, reflecting popular culture and changing trends. As cheaper materials and more efficient manufacturing processes were developed, they became more accessible and varied. Musical instrument manufacturers started to make novelty instruments to appeal to broader audiences. Once the idea caught on, many patents and products flooded the market from independent companies, like Emenee, specializing in toy musical instruments. It didn’t take long for mainstream toy manufacturers, like Hasbro, Mattel, and Fischer-Price to begin producing their own. The National Music Museum’s collection prioritizes musical instruments marketed as toys from within the musical instrument trade, over those made by toy manufacturers and distributors, and includes winds, strings, percussion, and keyboard instruments.