past exhibition
Medieval to Metal
June 29–September 22, 2019
Highlighting the single most enduring icon in American history, Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar, explores all aspects of the world’s most popular instrument. The exhibition covers the guitar’s history beginning in the Middle Ages with European and Asian instruments such as the oud and lute to its position as a key accompaniment for traveling performers, its pivotal role in blues, country western music, and rock ‘n roll, ultimately serving as a catalyst for popular culture. Visitors will experience the artistry, history, design, and cultural influence of the guitar. Along with 40 distinct instruments that showcase the rare and antique to the wildly popular and innovative, Medieval to Metal includes dozens of photographs and illustrations that depict significant musicians and instruments of the last century.
Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar is an exciting and engaging experience that gives visitors the opportunity to interact with the guitar from the perspective of history, evolution, and design – and the lasting music it has created.
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upcoming exhibitions
past exhibitions
Archived material on past exhibitions can be explored further here, and recent past exhibition catalogues are available through the museum shop.
artist in residence
Our Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program invites artists to live and work at the museum. While in residence, artists consider the collection and community, and refresh our perspectives on the role of the museum. The program is central to the Currier Museum’s mission of connecting our audiences with art and creative thinking, whether of the past or the future. We hope to learn from our visiting artists – and be surprised by their perspectives.
Artists working in all media participate in the AIR program, which has three main components: 1) an open call to support emerging artists making socially engaged art; 2) an invitational through which artists are selected to develop special projects, commissions, or exhibitions; and 3) artist-led, community-centered public art projects in the city of Nashua, NH.
Open Call for Artist in Residence Applications
Our annual open call is currently live from October 1 – December 1, 2022. Artists who share the museum’s goal of positively impacting communities through the transformative power of art are encouraged to apply to this residency.