Chuck Berry’s ES-350T, Keith Moon’s drums set and the white Stratocaster Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock are amongst the highlights of a new exhibition at the Metropolan Museum of Art in new York titled ‘Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll’. The exhibition looks to explore the powerful visual impact of musical instruments and the vital role they have played in shaping music history.

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is showcasing some of the most legendary pieces of rock and roll gear for Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll exhibition.

Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock and Roll is currently open and runs until the 1st of October, after which it will tour across the US continent to Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum, who also helped to assemble the collection.

The exhibition covers a huge range of iconic instruments and stage gear, but as you’d expect, guitars have a heavy representation. Amongst the famous axes are Eric Clapton’s ‘Blackie’ Strat, Jerry Garcia’s ‘Wolf’, Brian May’s ‘Red Special’, Bob Dylan’s Newport Strat, Joan Jett’s Melody Maker, John Lennon’s 12-string Rickenbacker and St. Vincent’s signature electric guitar, amongst plenty more.

130 instruments sit alongside costumes and posters, some from private collections, and some lent from the musicians themselves, as can be seen in the video of Jimmy Page below.

Head to the Metropolitan Gallery’s website for more information.