Explore historical musical instruments at Strawbery Banke
PORTSMOUTH — Strawbery Banke Museum announces “Tuneful Treasures – Discovering Musical Instruments in American Collections,” a lecture by Darcy Kuronen, Former Curator of Musical Instruments at the Museum of Fine Arts. The event occurs in the Lawrence J. Yerdon Visitors Center, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, on Thursday, July 25, from 6-7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers and are available in advance online via Strawberybanke.org/connolly-speaker-series.
On July 25, Darcy Kuronen will share anecdotes from his career working with historical instruments in collections across the United States, including examples housed at Strawbery Banke Museum. Kuronen will recount how he entered this field, revealing stories behind rare instruments he has discovered and researched. Highlights include the earliest American harmonica and a beautifully crafted upright piano from 18th-century Ireland.
The evening will also feature a special performance on the c. 1820 Alpheus Babcock piano from Strawbery Banke’s collection.
This lecture is part of The Mark Connolly Distinguished Speaker Series, which honors the legacy of Mark Connolly, a former Strawbery Banke Museum Trustee and a prominent figure in finance, literature, and politics. Since Connolly’s passing in April 2019, the Museum has been committed to commemorating his memory and dedication to intellectual discourse and civic engagement.
