Durham NC, USA: Did not expect to find a tuba museum.

May 10, 2023 8:36 PM

V & E Simonetti Historic Tuba Collection Pictures from the 2016 grand opening. "We are actively acquiring instruments for the collection...contact Vince directly."

"The 300+ instruments in the Collection, currently housed in Durham, North Carolina, represent a cross section of the history and development of the various members of the tuba family, from its inception circa 1830 to the present."

Of course there's a previously (a totally different tuba museum). That one is temporarily closed, though, so it's good to know you have somewhere to go if needed.

posted by amtho (12 comments total)

The V & E Simonetti Collection is open for viewing to the public BY APPOINTMENT ONLY every Tuesday and Thursday 3pm – 6pm

If somebody could go and report back that would be great.
posted by The River Ivel at 11:49 PM on May 10, 2023

My dad bought a tuba and euphonium from the Tuba Exchange and visits yearly for maintenance. On top of the extraordinary collection, it's an amazing thing to have an actual tuba shop.
posted by hydropsyche at 5:21 AM on May 11, 2023 [3 favorites]

Having lived for six years in Durham, I'm not surprised it's home to a tuba museum.
posted by biogeo at 5:30 AM on May 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

Is there a surfeit of low brass, biogeo? Do euphonists stalk the streets? Roving gangs of trombonists in the eternal war of Slide versus Valve?
posted by solarion at 5:38 AM on May 11, 2023 [5 favorites]

That tuba museum is very close to where my now-wife lived when we first met. Given the limited hours, we never saw anyone there. Delighted to hear it’s a real thing and not a CIA black site as I had assumed!
posted by Maecenas at 5:41 AM on May 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

I need a tuba historian to tell me why the military serpent and the ophicliede are considered part of the tuba family.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 5:46 AM on May 11, 2023

The ophicleide was the predecessor of the tuba. The serpent probably slithered through the door when no one was looking.
posted by lhauser at 6:40 AM on May 11, 2023 [2 favorites]

> I need a tuba historian to tell me why the military serpent and the ophicliede are considered part of the tuba family.

Not a tuba historian, but I can say that an "ophicleide" is a "serpent" that was straightened out and made of brass instead of wood, with keys over the holes. Probably in the tuba museum for the same reason you might find cornettos and bugles in a trumpet museum.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 7:21 AM on May 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

The dude has sold the tuba shop, so if you have questions, it sounds like he would answer e-mail.
posted by amtho at 8:55 AM on May 11, 2023

The tuba solo by Øystein Baadsvik from the linked comments is well worth the listen.

I didn't realize you could beatbox with a tuba.
posted by SunSnork at 9:39 AM on May 11, 2023

I didn't realize you could beatbox with a tuba.

Beatbox, turntable-style scratching, multiphonics... check out Nat McIntosh.

Tuba nerds are some of the best nerds.
posted by dr. boludo at 11:11 AM on May 11, 2023 [1 favorite]

NOBODY EXPECTS THE TUBA MUSEUM!

Our chief display is the Cerveny Helicon... the Cerveny Helicon and the Moenig BB Flat.

Our two displays are the Cerveny Helicon and the Moenig BB Flat. And the Alex 163... our three displays are the Cerveny Helicon, Moenig BB Flat, Alex 163... and the Schmidt Berliner pumpen F tuba. Our four... no.

Amongst our many displays are such elements as...the Cerveny Helicon, the Moenig BB Flat... I'll come in again.
posted by Naberius at 12:22 PM on May 11, 2023 [3 favorites]