Learn more with this project!
Travel Kit: Pencil and paper
Your Destination: Pennsylvania offers a diverse array of museums that cater to various interests beyond the arts. Explore the history of C.F. Martin & Co., highlighting its founding in 1833 and its pivotal role in shaping the modern acoustic guitar, including innovations like the X-bracing system.
On the Path:
Step 1: Examine different Martin guitar models to compare tonewoods, body shapes, and craftsmanship that affect sound and playability. Alternatively, choose things like buildings, toys, candies, tiles, clocks, uniforms, or trains featured in one of the cultural museums below.
Step 2: Engage in a discussion on how Martin guitars have influenced music genres from folk to rock, identify Martin’s presence in iconic recordings. If you chose another topic, examine and discuss how design elements impact the objects function and how it revolutionized a field.
Step 3: Design your own guitar based on other Martin guitar models. Explain the elements you chose to include, the sound quality they create, and why you chose them. Or design a car, a building, a candy, a guitar, a tile, a clock, a toy, a uniform or a train inspired by museums. Explain the elements you chose, the way they impact function, and why you chose to include them.
Group Tour: Share your creations and explain how your museum experience influenced your artistic choices on social media at #ArtSphereInc!
Extend the Journey: Explore the history of C.F. Martin & Co and examine different Martin guitar models to compare tonewoods, body shapes, and craftsmanship that affect sound and playability. Engage in a discussion on how Martin guitars have influenced music genres from folk to rock, identify Martin’s presence in iconic recordings.
Vocabulary: Design elements – space, form, line, value, shape, color, and texture
Resources and Visual Aids:
- The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum: (Hershey) This museum features a vast collection of vintage automobiles and related artifacts, highlighting the history of automotive innovation.
- The Ephrata Cloister: (Ephrata) A historic religious community site, this museum complex provides insights into the 18th-century Ephrata Cloister’s unique communal life and beliefs.
- The Hershey Derry Township Historical Society Museum: (Hershey) This museum offers a glimpse into the local history of Hershey and its development, particularly focusing on the influence of Milton Hershey.
- The Hershey Story Museum: (Hershey) Dedicated to the life and legacy of Milton S. Hershey, this museum offers interactive exhibits about the chocolate magnate and his impact on the region.
- The Martin Guitar Museum: (Nazareth) Located at the headquarters of C.F. Martin & Co., this museum celebrates the legacy of the iconic guitar manufacturer with a collection of instruments and historical displays.
- The Mercer Museum: (Doylestown) The museum was founded by Henry Chapman Mercer, an archaeologist, anthropologist, and collector, and is known for its impressive collection of pre-industrial tools and artifacts.
- The State Museum of Pennsylvania: (Harrisburg) This museum showcases Pennsylvania’s rich history, including its geology, archaeology, and industrial heritage.
- The National Civil War Museum: (Harrisburg) Dedicated to the American Civil War, this museum provides a balanced and comprehensive view of the conflict from both Union and Confederate perspectives.
- The National Toy Museum: (Strasburg) is a unique and fascinating museum dedicated to the history and enjoyment of toy trains. It’s a must-see for train enthusiasts, collectors, and families.
- The National Watch and Clock Museum: (Columbia) As the name suggests, this museum is dedicated to horology, displaying a wide range of timepieces and offering insights into the art and science of timekeeping.
- The Pennsylvania State Police Museum: (Hershey) This museum offers insights into the history and evolution of the Pennsylvania State Police through various exhibits and artifacts.
- The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania: (Strasburg) This museum houses one of the most significant collections of historic railroad artifacts in the United States, illustrating the state’s pivotal role in rail history.