Making music and memories together at MIM
Experience Gallery VTMs Patrina Gay (front) and Barbara Dethlefsen (back) play instruments with young guests.
In MIM’s Experience Gallery, guests of all ages enjoy playing instruments from around the world. Experience Gallery volunteer team members (VTMs) also have fun making music and memories with neighbors from the community and travelers from around the United States and beyond.
“Volunteering in the Experience Gallery is a great opportunity to learn more about the specific instruments in the room and to enjoy interacting with guests from all over,” says Experience Gallery VTM Patrina Gay. “It’s a delight to see a guest’s face light up when you tell them they can play the instruments in the room and dance with them when the nickelodeon is playing.”
The Experience Gallery was redesigned and refreshed with new instruments in 2025, including a digital piano, two conga drums, a vibedrum, a hueheutl drum, an ngoma kettledrum, and a tubulum that was made by Brian Cummings, MIM’s lead preparator. These additions expanded the gallery’s collection, which also includes marimbas, harps, banjos, and Little Martin guitars.
Sometimes VTMs demonstrate how to play the instruments to guests—and sometimes guests do the demonstrating.
“Many guests come into the Experience Gallery to explore their musical inclinations, but other guests have been playing for years and are not shy about sharing their gift,” Patrina says. “Some become lost in their own world of music when they play, and it makes the impromptu performance all the more special.”
VTM Dan Hatfield loves hearing guests express themselves through the instruments. “It’s the sound of happiness,” he says.
To learn more and apply to become a volunteer team member, visit MIM.org/volunteer
