Martin Museum & The 1833 Shop
C.F. Martin & Company Visitors Center, Nazareth, PA
Martin Guitar’s Factor Tour is rated one of the ten best in the country, drawing thousands of visitors each year. To complement that experience, C.F. Martin & Co. hired MDA to design the adjoining Visitor Center & Museum. Inside, exhibits showcase Martin’s own exceptional instrument collection and interweave the history of the guitar in America with the story of how, since 1833, C.F.Martin, Sr. and his descendents developed what has become the American acoustic guitar.
Organized chronologically, an open plan, clearly defined sections, and well-crafted text and graphics allow visitors to approach the exhibits in any order. Two related displays use period tools, workbenches, images, and guitar parts to evoke and contrast Martin’s shops and guitar-making techniques from the 19th and 20th centuries. Within the darkened space, targeted lighting highlights the craftsmanship of more than 100 instruments. An adjoining retail shop, also designed by MDA, offers visitors a variety of Martin products.
> Download PDF about this project.
> Take a virtual tour of the museum.