樂器的價值，在於其悸動人類的另一層感官——聽覺。樂器雖可視為一件靜止的標本，但其內含的能量，卻能流瀉千里。如何為博物館的樂器帶來生命力，有賴於器樂的探討。音樂並非世界的語言，它標記著自身的文化與特色，而乘載這種文化特色的音樂，則賦予樂器各種的材質、造型、裝飾。 既然樂器脫離不了文化的藩籬，則博物館的樂器展示，更應考慮樂器的聲響內涵與社會意義。本文試圖從樂器收集的歷史、樂器分類的概念、樂器描述的重點，以及博物館中樂器展示的形式與特色，討論如何建立一座具有生命力的樂器博物館。

The value of instruments lies in their power to “touch” the human sense of hearing. A still object an instrument may be, however, the energy it contains is overflowing. To breathe life into an instrument displayed in a museum requires a thorough investigation of the instrument itself. Music is not an international language. It is a symbol of cultural uniqueness. The cultural character of music depends very much on the shapes, materials and adornments of the instruments that are used to create it. Since instruments cannot be extracted from their cultural context, the display of instruments in museums should be done with a deep understanding of their audio involution and social meaning. This article attempts to construct a dynamic instrument museum by studying the history of instrument collection, the concept of instrument classification, the focal points of instrument description and the formation and characteristics of museum instrument displays.