MOMH is the outcome of a meeting held in 2003 at the premises of the Royal Society of Musicians (RSM)

The late John Cruft, a Governor of the RSM, former Manager of the London Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of both the British Council and the Arts Council of Great Britain, chaired a discussion on Britain’s need for a comprehensive and fully accessible music and dance museum. Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Milan, it was argued, each has a flourishing museum of music, but London – despite an equally significant role in music history – lacks any such national institution outside its conservatoire collections.  Thus the Museum of Music History was founded, under the Patronage of Sir Charles Mackerras (1925-2010), and subsequently incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity.  Dr Stanley Sadie (130-2005) was appointed Chairman, succeeded on his death by Paul Strang.  An Advisory Committee of experts in different fields is central to the Museum’s operation, together with a dedicated team of volunteers.

The inspiration for the Museum and the rapid growth of its collections were due to the vision and passionate commitment of its founder, Oliver Davies FRCM (1938-2020), a distinguished pianist, musicologist and collector.  An appreciation is published here.