Cooper Hewitt Celebrates Pre-Streaming Music Machines

The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York has opened an exhibition titled 'The Art of Noise' that celebrates the mechanical and electronic devices used to play recorded music before streaming services rendered them obsolete. The show highlights the design and cultural significance of objects such as phonographs, jukeboxes, turntables, and portable cassette players, tracing the evolution of music listening from a communal activity to a solitary digital experience. Curated by Ellen Lupton and featuring over 150 artifacts, the exhibition runs through January 2027.