Drawn from an important private collection, this exhibition pays tribute to an instrument that has touched all of our lives and many have played. These acoustic guitars range from around 1890 to the present. One of the most significant is a twin of the instrument that once belonged to the Spanish virtuoso Andrés Segovia, the grandfather of the classical guitar. This true work of art is now in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

These guitars can be admired for their craftsmanship and elegance alone, and several will actually be played in concerts during the run of the exhibition. This is the first time the MFA has presented an exhibition devoted to a musical instrument, and a series of concerts by leading classical guitarists, including Grammy Award-winner Jason Vieaux and Jérémy Jouve, will enhance understanding of music and art.