Article detail - German Design Council

RR-126 Radio-Phonograph, 1965; designed by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni © Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Photo: Matt Flynn

05 February 2026

A new exhibition at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York shows how design has shaped the way people listen to, see and experience music for over 100 years.

From 13 February to 16 August 2026, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, is presenting "Art of Noise“ , a comprehensive exhibition on the history of music and design. Using concert posters, album covers, music players and sound systems, the show traces how the relationship between music and design has changed from the early 20th century to the present day. The exhibition was created in collaboration with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). It is curated by Joseph Becker.

“Music is the soundtrack to our lives, and design is at the center of how we experience it”
Maria Nicanor, Director of the Cooper Hewitt Museum

SK 55 Radio-Phonograph, 1963; Designed by Dieter Rams (German, born 1932) and Hans Gugelot (German, 1920-1965); Manufactured by Braun AG (Frankfurt, Germany); Metal, plastic, ash wood; Gift of Barry Friedman and Patricia Pastor© Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Photo: Matt Flynn

R-72 Toot-a-Loop Portable Radio, 1971; Designed by Daisuke Kajiwara (Japanese); Manufactured by National Panasonic Radio brand, Matushita Electrical Industrial Co, Ltd. (Osaka, Japan); Plastic (ABS), metal, electronic components, gift of Jacqueline Loewe Fowler© Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Photo: Ellen McDermott

iPod Digital Music Player, 2001; Designed by Jonathan Ive (British, born 1967) and Apple Industrial Design Team; Manufactured by Apple (Cupertino, California, USA); Plastic, polycarbonate, stainless steel, electronic components, gift of David and Kelly Theresa LintonCooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Photo: Matt Flynn

TPS-L2-Walkman Cassette Player and MDR-3L2 Headphones, 1979; Designed by Akio Morita (Japanese, 1921-1999) and Kozo Ohsone (Japanese, born 1933); Manufactured by Sony Corporation (Tokyo, Japan); Plastic, aluminum, steel, polyurethane, electronic components, gift of Robert M. Greenberg© Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Photo: Matt Flynn

Stereo Chest, 1973; Designed and made by Wendell Castle (American, 1932-2018); Stack-laminated and carved walnut, leather, metal, rubber, plastic, electronic components; Dual 1229 turntable, Kenwood model KR-5150 receive, gift of Linda and Irwin R. Bermantt© Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, Photo: Ellen McDermott

Thilo Oerke and Rosita Tonmöbel, Rosita Vision 2000, 1971; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Accessions Committee purchase, by exchange, through a gift of Michael D. AbramsPhoto: Don Ross

Verner Panton, 3300 Stereo, 1963; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Accessions Committee purchase, by exchange, through a gift of Michael D. AbramsPhoto: Don Ross

teenage engineering, choir, 2022© teenage engineering

Mathieu Lehanneur, Power of Love, 2009; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Accessions Committee fund purchase© Mathieu Lehanneur, Photo: Don Ross

Music, Design and Technology

The exhibition brings together graphic works and product designs that have shaped the musical experience visually and technically. On display are iconic music posters by Milton Glaser, Victor Moscoso, Bonnie MacLean and Takenobu Igarashi, as well as printed and graphic materials from the New York folk, rock, disco, salsa, punk, new wave and hip-hop scenes.

These works are complemented by objects of music technology from the early 1900s to 2023: jukeboxes, radios, hi-fi systems, loudspeakers and headphones illustrate the evolution of music listening – from early phonographs and transistor radios to influential hi-fi systems by designers such as Dieter Rams and Achille Castiglioni.

A central element of the exhibition is the "HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3" by multidisciplinary artist Devon Turnbull, installed on the first floor of the museum. The listening room will be activated daily throughout the exhibition and will feature live operator performances and genre-specific playlists.