During our Quad Cities vacation, we visited at the right time to see the new Bix Beiderbecke Museum. I must admit that I did not know much about Bix before my visit. However, our whole family was totally fascinated by the museum and realized that the museum speaks to both jazz aficiondos and those just beginning to learn about jazz. The museum had just opened its doors a couple of weeks before our visit, so we were very lucky to experience this new treasure!
Bix Beiderbecke was a native of Davenport, Iowa who became a renowned jazz cornetist and composer. In addition to providing us with a picture of Bix's life, the museum ignited a new appreciation for the heyday of jazz artists. We enjoyed seeing artifacts that we do not encounter on a normal day like phonographs. This is a great opportunity for children to a little about the history of jazz music and recording. The ability to see items up close really enhances the learning experience.
The museum was many years in the making and involved dedicated researchers assembling an impressive collection of artifacts from Bix's life and other musicians of the era. The thoroughness of their research is evident. We loved that exhibits included signs detailing each artifact as well as particular points in Bix's life. The exhibit above displays a band stage like the one at Hudson Lake Casino where Bix played. The artifacts are really and detailed on the accompanying signs.
I particularly loved the peek we got inside of this record player. What a gorgeous piece!
The museum also has part of a cornet Beiderbecke purchased for a fellow musician.
One of the most impressive pieces is Bix's last piano. The curators tracked down the piano in a home. The piece was being used by a young girl for piano lessons. What a story she now has to tell! The piano is beautiful and a nice addition to the museum.
We enjoyed discovering more about jazz and learning about the life of Bix Beiderbecke at the Bix Beiderbecke Museum. With jazz music playing and interesting musical artifacts, we felt the flavor of jazz. We left with a new picture of the jazz scene in the 1920's. Really a welcome addition to our Quad Cities adventure and an in depth look at a slice of Davenport history.
**Disclosure: Thank you to Visit Quad Cities for hosting our visit. We received complimentary experiences in ordered to facilitate to bring these reviews to you. No other compensation was a received. All opinions are 100% my own.
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